Sandcastles
by CarlaPeterLove
Summary: "What is it about you... that I can't erase, baby?" Carla will never be over what happened to her September 19th 2011 & She's not the only one...
1. Five Years

_**I mentioned that I might write something like this on twitter... So here it is... Should I continue? Let me know :)**_

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It's been five years.

Five years since it happened.

Five years until someone she thought she could trust, betrayed her in the worst way possible and it changed her life for good.

Five years is quite the milestone.

However this isn't the kind of anniversary she'd expect or even want to get cards and flowers for.

It's not an anniversary for something she'd ever want to remember but unfortunately the memory of it is going to be a part of her forever.

She still wonders how long it's supposed to take before you get over something like that… or if you ever truly get over it.

She doesn't quite know how it happens… How something so simple as the mere change of the date can suddenly make her feel like nothing has changed.

How the fact that it's now the nineteenth of September instead of the eighteenth means that she has been taken all the way back to the year two thousand and eleven.

The moment her eyes shot open in the early hours of this morning it all came flooding back.

The shame she felt when people found out about what had happened.

The fear she was consumed by whenever a door was slammed or whenever she heard a raised voice.

The way she would violently flinch if anyone tried to touch her.

It's been five years but somehow it feels as if it was just yesterday.

She had a nightmare about it…well… about him last night… She knew that she would, She normally does this time of year

She tired to stay up as late as she could but it wasn't even eleven pm when her eyelids started to droop.

It was a blurry dream… one that didn't make a whole lot of sense but it was one that petrified her all the same.

They say you never know how a dream actually begins and this one was just like that.

The first thing about it that Carla really remembers about her dream is that she was casually walking up the beach with Bailey... just like they did every morning at around ten.

They walked past the stripy beach huts like they always did, Carla with a cup of coffee in her hand from the café that wasn't a patch on Roy's Rolls but it'll do, Bailey running and enjoying the fresh sea air like he always did and then suddenly there he was… Frank Foster.

The image of him was a distorted one, one that didn't look real at all but it was enough to stop the dream Carla to stop in her tracks.

The next thing that happens to her is that suddenly she is back in her old flat… the flat where he pinned her up against my door and the one where he attacked her… where he took away everything.

She can't see him but she can feel him, touching her... violating her.

Carla then wakes up in a cold sweat at three thirty am and she swears that for a moment she can still feel him touching her.

It's like she can feel his entire body weight forcing its way on to her and even though she can't actually see him… even though she's awake and he's not actually there, she still finds it incredibly hard to breathe.

Just for those first few moments after waking up it feels as if all the air in the room has been sucked right out of it but then something inside Carla snaps.

Something inside says "No!"

Something inside her says, _"You're not going to do this Carla, you're not going to let that horrible experience define how the rest of your day goes."_

 _"You're not going to sit at home on your own all day and be tortured by a man who no longer lives."_

 _"You are stronger than that... stronger than him."_

Carla sits up straight… She takes this moment and looks at how far she's come, she thinks about the past five years and as tragic and downright miserable as some moments have been, she knows that deep down, really deep down, below all the horrible stuff that has happened to her this year… she's okay.

She may not be married anymore… she may not have the child she never knew she wanted until it was too late but Carla Connor knows that she is okay.

She's alive, she's healthy, she has a thriving new business and she lives in one of the most beautiful places she's ever seen in her life… Carla Connor starts to feel as if she is more than okay.

So she gets up, she grabs a blanket and goes down stairs. She decides if she can't sleep she'll watch her favourite comedy shows to try and keep herself in this new and positive mood.

It's hard at first… really hard because her mind keeps trying to remind her what day it is today but soon enough, she relaxes… Her body doesn't feel so tense anymore and she's soon able to laugh at the familiar characters on screen.

She doesn't remember falling asleep but she does because her eyes open hours later... just as the sun beams through her living room window.

As she stretches and yawns she still feels as if today shall be a struggle… she's not that naïve to believe that she won't have a few difficult moments but Carla also feels as if maybe… just maybe today might not be as bad as she had first thought it would be.

However… she can't help but wonder just how many of the people who knew her at the time, remember the significance of this date... She thinks that probably no one does, she thinks they would have forgotten and Carla really doesn't blame any of them for doing so because she knows that life moves on but actually… there is one person who hasn't forgotten.

There is one person who isn't as far away as she thinks, there is one person who remembers exactly what day it was because five years ago today his life was also changed too.

Five years ago he was just popping round to her flat to see if she was okay and then he heard it.

He heard the sound of police sirens as he sped round the corner and when he saw them... he felt his stomach drop... he felt as if he had all the breath knocked right out of him.

Five years ago today he had been, for the most part denying his feelings for her and it was only when he had found out about the horrific ordeal she had been put through that he realised that he was totally and completely… madly in love with her.

He didn't tell anyone of course. He kept it to himself as best he could and spent the next few months of his life making sure he was there for her as much as he could.

He remembers how much it changed her. He remembers how strong and confident she was before the attack compared to how weak and afraid she was afterwards.

He remembers being the one who held her, consoled her, cared for and unconditionally loved her and he also remembers being the one who saved her… literally.

That's why he remembers the date just as much as she does.

He remembers it because it has had an everlasting impact on his life and still to this day… he still can't get her and it out of his head.

He wakes up early too, he has so many more things he should be doing today other than thinking about her but he can't help it.

He tries to finish packing his boxes and get everything sorted for his move but something won't let him.

He tries to go for that jog he always says that he will go on but of course Peter's feet don't let him leave his flat.

He knows that if _he_ can't get today being today out of his mind then she must be having an even harder time of it.

He wonders if she is alone… or if she's found someone new.

He thinks about it all the way through breakfast, he thinks that at least if she has someone with her then she'll have someone to lean on but he worries about if she doesn't… he worries that she might be alone.

After another fifteen minutes of concern he decides to do something about it… for his own sanity just as well as hers.

He just wants to make sure that she's all right that's all… he doesn't want to intrude or anything like that.

First he thought about sending a simple text message.

One that lets her know he's been thinking of her recently and that he hopes that she is okay, he doesn't quite know how to go about it.

His curiosity only continues throughout the morning and it's only made worse because he knows that he's only a few hours away from her.

He knows this because he actually has her address.

He was given it a few months back not by her of course but someone else... someone else who she'd also be surprised to hear still cares about her.

 _"So… what's a few hours? That's like watching a movie... It would be nothing…"_ He thinks to himself whilst still sat at his breakfast table.

 _"No…"_ he says to himself. _"I can't go… She'll think I'm stalking her or something…"_

He tries to shake the idea of getting in his car and driving the one hundred and thirty miles to see how she's coping but eventually Peter gives in.

At his age he knows himself pretty well by now and he knows that he'll only be stuck thinking about her all day if he doesn't go and see…

 _"I can easily be back by tonight…"_ He says to himself as he starts the ignition.

 _"I don't even have to talk to her… I just have to see her... as long as I know she's okay… as long as I know she's happy."_ He thinks as he puts her address into his Sat-nav system.

It's now one o'clock in the afternoon…

Carla's walking towards town, she hasn't taken Bailey with her because he decided to have an early afternoon nap just before she decided to leave so this means that she's all alone as she strolls along the quiet country roads that she has become quite a custom to.

She doesn't have to go to work until much later on in the evening after about six or seven and that's how it is most days for Carla so she has a lot more free time on her hands these days.

Too much free time… free time that she's never had before and it definitely took her a while to get used to not having a factory to oversee.

She walks most places these days mainly because the town she lives in now is rather small but also because getting a car would be a waste of the rather beautiful scenery.

Carla's house is about a ten minute walk from some of the shops and a five minute walk from the stunning beach that she spends a lot of her time on.

There's a shortcut that she can take to town on this very beach so she always makes sure that she uses it because she knows that it would be terrible to not take advantage of the fact that she lives so close to the sea.

As she walks, Carla tries to plan the rest of her day, she knows she's going to call her best friend Michelle at some point and maybe her Dad too, she hasn't spoken to them in a few days and she wants to find out what they've been up to recently.

 _"Michelle probably will forget what day it is today... after all she is pregnant and Johnny... well He'll ave no idea…"_ Carla starts to think but then she stops and smiles as she walks past some very large and very intricate Sandcastles that appear on the beach in the same spot every day.

She spotted them on her very first day in Devon and after asking around a bit, Carla found out that no one actually seems to know who builds the divine and ever so mysterious Sandcastles each day, all anyone knows is that they appear every morning and by the end of the day the waves of the sea have washed them away.

As she walks up the stone stairs that take her back to the road, In the distance Carla spots a black car parked awkwardly half on the road half on the pavement… she smiles as she sees the driver get out and stare down at his phone in anguish.

She's only been living in Devon for a few months or so but even Carla can spot an outsider a mile off.

It's totally obvious this man is lost as he turns around and cranes his neck to read the sign that he's stood below and looks back down at his phone.

He's still quite a while away but as she has to pass this man and his car to get to the shops, Carla decides she'll offer to help him out because he really doesn't look like the type of man who lives in Devon.

Then she gets closer… and then she realises... and stops.

She stops because this man definitely doesn't live in Devon… in fact the last she heard this man lived in Portsmouth.

She knows this man… The man stood by his car with brown hair, brown eyes, a very full beard and a leather jacket.

She definitely knows the man with the beard who is stood frowning down at the phone in his hand looking as if he has absolutely no idea how to even use it or even where he is.

At first she thinks about turning around and pretending as if she hasn't seem him and that this cannot be happening.

She thinks that this must be a coincidence but it soon becomes very obvious that this man isn't here by coincidence because when he looks up from his phone and sees her stood before him… the look on his face says it all.

He's relieved.

Relieved to see the woman stood only a few feet away from him… the woman with her lightened brown hair longer than he's ever seen it and he then smiles at her softly because he knows that he definitely is in the right place after all.

He smiles also because he so nearly turned back earlier on and if he had done then he wouldn't have seen her.

There's a long and deafening silence between them as he slips his phone into his pocket and shuts his car door gently.

She turns around clumsily… She takes a quick glance just to make sure that he's not here for someone else even though she knows that he couldn't be and when she looks back he's still smiling at her, his hands now in his pocket, acting as if he's been waiting there all along.

"What... what are you doing here?"


	2. Because Of You

_**Thanks for the kind reviews everyone :) :) :)**_

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"What… what are you doing here?" Carla asked, she had both arms folded and was finding it hard to believe what she was observing right now. Peter, still smiling, moved closer to her and shrugged innocently,

"Well…" He began, grinning and looking at Carla with those big brown eyes of his and making her heart race like it hadn't done in the longest time because since being in Devon she hadn't seen anyone look at her in such a way. "Let's just say that I wanted a little change of scenery…"

For a moment Carla didn't respond to this, she just stood, staring in shock once again.

Amongst everything that had happened between them Peter still had a rather overwhelming effect on Carla and vice versa of course.

Carla's shocked face soon turned into a slight frown and then she shook her head slowly, as if she was telling herself that none of this could be happening.

 _"Does he know? Does he remember what day it is today?"_ She thought.

Peter Barlow was many things but one thing he did have was a robust memory. He always remembered the craziest things during their relationship, things that Carla had long forgotten so she knew that it wouldn't be too unbelievable for him to remember what day it was today.

"A change of scenery…" Carla repeated, raising an eyebrow as Peter moved even closer to her and was now less than a foot away.

"Yeah…" Peter said nodding calmly, looking Carla up and down as she stood before him in a black of black ankle boots, black ripped jeans and a black jacket. "Do ya fancy giving me the tour…" He smiled once again as his gaze returned to her head. He couldn't believe that her brown hair was so long now, so long it went way _way_ past her shoulders… he'd always said he had wanted her to grow it long, he said he thought it would look absolutely lovely and he was right.

Peter watched Carla's stance closely, trying to work out how she might feel on the inside because on the outside she looked truly magnificent.

It had been a good year since he had seen Carla in real life and as she stood in front of him, he took another moment to take in her beauty.

He had hoped that the comment about Carla giving him the tour would have made her smile but all it did was make her raised eyebrow go up even further.

Her smile had been something that he desperately wanted to see and as she stood in touching distance, Peter wasn't sure he'd be able to walk away from her after all.

Carla on the other hand was still slightly confused to see her ex husband stood before her so brazenly and couldn't seem to shake the shocked look off her face.

 _"A change of scenery my arse."_ Carla thought to herself, not believing Peter for even one second because he looked slightly smug… as if whatever he had planned had been successful.

She wondered how on earth Peter had actually ended up in Devon and she was ninety-nine per-cent sure that this meeting was no coincidence.

At first she thought that maybe Peter had just heard she lived in Devon and had travelled there in the hope to see her but it still didn't explain how he had got so close to her house, minutes away in fact.

Devon may be a small town but it definitely wasn't small enough for this to be a chance meeting.

 _"Maybe it was Michelle."_ Carla thought right away, thinking that her best friend Michelle might have been the one to give Peter her address... but why?

Peter was still smiling coolly at Carla, like he was someone she saw everyday and this whole thing was such a surreal experience that she had to shake her head again and say,

"So… let me get this straight… you just got... I dunno, bored of Portsmouth n you just so happened to roll up ere… in Devon… where I live… by pure coincidence?" Carla's voice was dry as she spoke, showing Peter that she wasn't at all convinced at his excuse for being stood in front of her right now.

"Yep… I actually ave a mate who lives around ere…" Peter lied with a nod even though he had an idea that Carla wasn't convinced by such a story.

"Is that so?" Carla replied, staring Peter down in a way that only made him even more attracted to her... if that was possible of course.

"Yeah." Peter nodded, staring back at Carla in the same way she was looking back at him.

"So this mate... where does him or her live exactly?" Carla asked suspiciously, "Because if you ask me Peter you look well and truly lost."

"Oh..." Peter said slightly taken aback, "Somewhere that way..." He said vaguely, pointing ahead of him as he spoke, Carla turned her head and looked in the direction of where Peter was pointing and knew that he was just making this all up as he went. "I put the address in me Sat-Nav but it's bloody useless." He said as Carla turned to face him again.

She soon raised another eyebrow at him before smirking wickedly and asking,

"You sure it's not just your navigation skills that are useless?" Peter had to laugh at this comment from Carla and the sight of his cheeky chuckle make her heart slightly skip a beat.

She'd always adored the sight of his laughter and she had never let her self realise just how much she'd missed it until now.

"Probably... Y'know what I'm like with technology" Peter said nodding at Carla who then took in a deep breath. As much as she wanted to find out why Peter really was here she didn't want to force the information out of him. She didn't have the patience, She decided that if Peter was going to stand there and blatantly lie to her face, she would just let him be.

"Alright then…" She began, "Well unlike you Peter, I can't stand around ere n take in the scenery all day…" She said, although in reality she really could stand there all day because she had nothing better to do. "I've got somewhere to be, so I'll leave you to your… change of scenery... and your _mate_... Bye." Carla nodded towards the road she had been just about to walk up before seeing Peter and she didn't wait for a response before criminally starting to walk away from.

She had decided that if Peter wasn't at least going to be honest with her about the reason why he was here then she didn't want to give him the time of day at all.

Peter nodded feebly as he watched Carla casually walk past him and it was then that he wasn't exactly sure what to do next.

He'd seen her... that's all he had wanted right? When he'd left Portsmouth he told himself he just had to see her and that was it.

He'd even got lucky and spoken to her, which was never part of the plan and for the most part, Carla seemed all right but Peter couldn't be too sure.

He couldn't be too sure because Carla was very good at putting on a tough front, she always had been... But Peter? Well Peter had always been very good at getting past that front and he knew it.

He'd always been able to break down those sturdy walls she had spent so long building and he'd always been the only one to get to that soft and delicate part of Carla... The one that nobody else saw.

So what was going to happen next?

Were they just going to walk away from each other and not look back?

"I… I sent you a message…" Peter called after Carla when he realised that she was actually getting further away from him and that she wasn't about to turn back either.

She turned around very slowly and then gently walked back towards Peter with her arms folded, looking slightly confused although Her face had softened considerably. She looked very intrigued as she watched Peter intently and said,

"A message?"

"Yes." Peter gulped, feeling slightly foolish but knowing it was too late to go back now.

After all, he had driven all this way it was too late to pretend otherwise, especially now he had said about the message.

Here he was, in Devon and here she was, stood before him... If this was the only chance Peter had to be honest to Carla... he was damn well gonna take it.

"I sent it this morning…" He said, not looking so smug anymore. "I just wanted to let you know that I was thinking of you today that's all… n that I hoped you were all right… I mean… I know I probably shouldn't ave come ere, it's just… when you didn't reply… I instantly thought the worst… I got worried… I should ave known that I were over thinking it all… n that you were probably just really busy… or that you just didn't want to talk to me..." Peter explained, starting to think that he'd made a mistake in coming here because Carla did seem to be in good spirits and maybe all he was doing now was bringing her down.

She didn't seem too wounded by today to the untrained eye, she didn't seem as if she'd been up all night worrying about what memories might haunt her but then again, Carla really was good at hiding stuff like that.

"So you're... ere for me then?" Carla asked softly, still staring at Peter and making his heart pound faster behind his grey T-Shirt, she still hadn't smiled at him yet but she was getting slightly close, the corners of her lips were slightly turned upwards as she waited with bated breath for Peter's response.

"Not _for_ you…" He said delicately, his face utterly deadpan as he then said, "But…yeah... because of you..."

Carla couldn't help but feel her heart melt a little just then, despite everything Peter had done and the hurt he's caused her, Carla knew that he still cared for her a lot… probably more than a lot.

"Look none of this was planed, I just decided to drive up ere this morning... As I said… I just wanted to make sure that you were all right… y'know… given today... being..." Peter said cautiously.

"I know what today is Peter." Carla snapped, making Peter jump ever so slightly. She hadn't actually meant it to come out so harshly and she could tell that Peter was starting to regret his impromptu visit to Devon.

"I know... of course you do..." Peter said, his voice sounding slightly shaky now because Carla was watching him almost in awe. "I wasn't planning on even talking to you... as I said... I just wanted to see that you were doing alright."

Carla watched Peter squirm for a moment as he stood before her and waited for a response. He looked anguished as he stood motionless but he didn't have to wait for too long because Carla couldn't take the look on his face for much longer and eventually said,

"I never got your message Peter." Peter nodded back at Carla in a way that made her think that he thought she was just spinning him a line.

"Okay." He said very quickly.

"No…" Carla began, "I didn't get your message because I changed my number…" She explained looking slightly amused but mostly touched as she spoke. Peter suddenly didn't feel so foolish anymore and nodded as Carla continued, "I wasn't too busy or out… it's just… after moving down ere, I just wanted a fresh start y'know… I've had that old number since I were about thirty summat."

"Oh… right." Peter nodded again, clearing his throat awkwardly and then taking a breath of relief once again.

"But just so ya know… I really appreciate that you still care so much Peter n I would ave replied had I ave got the message." Carla said, unfortunately for him she still wasn't smiling but she sincerely looked moved by his efforts, which made Peter feel even more at ease. "And… I'm fine… thank you." Carla added with a gracious nod.

"Good." Peter replied, genuinely looking pleased that Carla had said she was okay. "I'm glad…" Carla nodded once again at Peter's response and paused awkwardly.

She didn't know quite what to respond with next, which made the silence between her and Peter linger that little bit longer.

She still wasn't over what happened between them… She knew she never would be.

She knew that she'd never ever forget how being betrayed by Peter made her feel and she knew that they could never get back what they had... but amongst all of that, Carla knew that she really didn't have too much off a reason to sound off on Peter, not anymore... She'd moved on right? Anyways since their last meeting had been quite civil it didn't seem right for Carla to have a go for no real reason.

She also remembered that last moment between her and Peter and of course it felt like it was yesterday even though it had been almost two years since it happened.

She remembered how it felt to be sat on that bench outside Audrey's hair salon with Peter within touching distance of her but her not actually being able to touch him.

She remembered hearing all about him leaving and how much it pained her because she didn't actually believe that he was going through with it.

She remembered consoling her Stepson Simon, promising that things would be okay… but what Carla remembers most about this conversation is just how much she had to pretend.

How much that she had to act like she really was on board with Peter's departure and how hard it was for her not to sit there and beg him to stay.

She remembered biting her tongue as she got up to walk away and how she had to battle with herself to not give in, to not succumb to the strong desire she had to throw her arms around him, to tell him to stay and fight for her.

As they stood in the middle of the country lane, in what was becoming another ridiculous silence for two people who shared so much history, Carla decided to do the only polite thing there was and ask Peter,

"Are you okay though?"

"Yeah… Yeah... can't complain eh." Peter said, smiling at Carla reassuringly, she nodded slowly and then put her hands into her pockets stiffly, not really knowing what to say or do next… Peter was the same.

He ran a hand through his brown hair as he sighed out of pure frustration and then came another long and deafening silence.

Eventually Carla and Peter knew that they couldn't go on like this. Standing there and staring at each other in the middle of the road as if nothing else in the world mattered.

"Well…" Peter eventually said, breaking the silence and feeling as if his time here should probably be up. "I erm… I can see that you're all right, so… I'll erm…" he pulled his car keys back out of his pocket and then swallowed. "I'll go..."

Carla watched as Peter fiddled with his car keys in his hand and wondered if this really was it… was this really the moment Peter was going to leave.

He didn't look like he wanted to leave at all, he looked as if he wanted to stay and ask about a thousand questions but he also looked something else.

Peter Barlow suddenly looked shy and this was the moment that shocked Carla the most because she had never seen that man look shy in her life.

She'd first met him in the Pub back in Manchester many many years ago and even then, on their very first meeting he was full of confidence, full of smooth conversation and charm, seeing Peter act nervous was something that made Carla's throat go dry once again, which is why she stayed so quiet.

She looked down at her shiny silver watch just for somewhere else other than at Peter to look but he took this as something else... He took this to mean that she didn't care.

"Bye then…" He eventually said hoarsely, watching Carla closely and starting to believe that maybe she really didn't care that he had come all the way to Devon… not that he blamed her of course, after all, If it wasn't for him they'd probably still be together right now. He was just thankful that she'd given him this much of her time.

"Bye…" Carla said, regretting the word the moment it left her lips. She suddenly felt so guilty and cruel for dismissing Peter so freely after he'd made the effort to come and check that she was okay.

Peter, who felt as if his time was well and truly up gave Carla one last smile before turning around and walking back towards his car.

He tried to walk the short distance to it confidently and not show how foolish and disappointed he felt.

He felt foolish because he actually thought just seeing Carla would be enough, he thought as long as he saw that she was doing alright for herself that he would be able to continue with his day like normal.

He also felt disappointed because he never got to see that smile in the end. The one that used light up some of his darkest days.

As he got to his car and reached for the handle he racked his brains to think of something else to say... anything... but then... he suddenly didn't have to.

"Peter…" He spun around so fast it was a wonder he didn't get whiplash.

He saw that Carla had followed him towards his car and that she looked as she is was bracing herself,

"There's a really nice café up that road…" She paused nervously but then Carla forced herself to continue because she knew that she really did owe Peter a little more of her time as he had obviously come all this way just for her. "D'ya wanna… grab a quick coffee… before ya go?"

These small words meant the absolute world to Peter and had there not been a few witnesses about on the streets of Devon he would have jumped for joy that very moment.

"Sure." He said as casually as he could given due the fact that his heart had begun racing at a ridiculous pace. He closed his car door and put his keys back in his pocket, which made one of Carla's perfect eyebrows raise once again.

"What?" He asked looking slightly bemused.

"Errr, I don't know what they do down in Portsmouth Peter but ya can't just leave your parked ere like that… You need a permit for a start..." She said with a hand on her hip as she looked at Peter's black car parked half on the pavement and half on the road.

"Oh…" Peter chuckled, he scanned the area around him and then looked at Carla saying, "Where's the nearest place for me to park then?"

Carla pondered for a moment, knowing exactly where the nearest and most convenient place that Peter could park was and also knowing that if she told him where that place was, that this meeting of theirs could possibly end up being a lot more than just a quick cup of coffee.

As most of the streets around the area had permit only parking, the nearest place for Peter to park without getting a ticket... was Carla's.

She could always take him the other way though, Carla didn't have to take Peter to her place. If he drove for five more minutes or so, Carla could take him to a local car park... if she wanted to that is.

"Carla?" Peter said, staring at her as she almost got lost in her train of thought.

"Sorry…" She said shaking her head, "Errr… yeah there is somewhere you can park… I can direct you."

"Alright." Peter nodded, he opened his car door and was just about to get in as he said, "So… you getting in then or...?" He asked when he saw that Carla was still stood on the very same spot as she had been a few seconds ago.

"Yes." Carla nodded and then she quickly got into Peter's car on the passenger's side, she pulled the seatbelt across her body and as Peter started the ignition he asked,

"Which way then?"


	3. Bailey

So there they were.

Carla and Peter.

Sat in his car on their way to… her house.

She doesn't quite know why she is choosing to get him to park there instead of one of those standard car parks that were in town, she doesn't know why she stares at him the entire time he drives through the quiet country lane and she doesn't know why her heart was still thumping loudly behind her black shirt.

All she knows… is that she can't say goodbye to Peter just yet.

Counting each blessing he had, Peter stayed silent as he followed Carla's first set of directions. He didn't want to say too much because he could tell that she was obviously lost in thought but eventually he had to be reminded of where he was going and asked,

"You said straight ahead right?"

"Yep." Carla nodded, knowing there is no going back now as her house was literally at the very road that Peter was driving down, in fact she could see it from where they were right now. "It's... the white house at the very end of the street."

"Oh… okay." Peter said, diverting his gaze a little further ahead to the house on the very end of the street. As he stared, Peter saw a two-story house, which had been painted a bright white colour.

Carla's house was located on a street that had many different colour houses, there were light blue houses, pink houses, even yellow houses and as Peter got closer he saw that Carla's clean white house had been made complete with a grey cobblestone roof.

It also had a little garden in front of it and next to that garden was a pebbled driveway, which was where Carla gestured for Peter to park his car.

As Peter turned the ignition off and parked his car next to what could only be Carla's Car, he found it ridiculously hard to believe what was currently happening.

He had expected Carla to be directing him to a car park or somewhere with a few free parking bays… the last thing he had been expecting was to end up at her house.

He stayed put for a moment and couldn't help but stare up at the building ahead of him as Carla climbed out of the passengers seat and closed the door behind her.

 _"Carla has a house. A real… proper, grown up house of her own…"_ Thought Peter, gazing through the windscreen window at the building that was in front of him.

Peter wondered if this house he was currently sat in front of was the very house that Carla was supposed to be moving into with... _Him_ and as he wondered, Peter suddenly felt something inside of him seize up at the very thought of Carla living with that awful man.

The man he had hated for years. The man who had caused him so much pain and so much grief.

"You getting out then?" He then heard Carla call, she was tapping on his window and pulling a slightly comical face, which made Peter laugh silently as he got hastily got out of the car.

"Sorry…" He said, slamming his door shut and smiling at Carla. "I was in a day dream for a minute there…"

"Yeah, never would ave guessed." Carla nodded slowly with an eyebrow raised, she was standing a few feet away from her front door as Peter grinned and asked,

"So… where's this coffee shop then?" But Carla didn't answer Peter, she was distracted, bending her head slightly as if she was listening to something, something coming from her house.

At first Peter thought she had maybe changed her mind about all of this but then she moved closer to her door, still looking as if she was trying hard to hear something coming from inside her home.

"Car…"

"Hold on…" Carla said distantly, going into her pocket and pulling out a pair of keys. Peter nodded at Carla slowly and watched, slightly perplexed as she walked up to her front door and opened it.

As she disappeared inside, Peter stood awkwardly in front of his car not knowing exactly what he should do next.

Even though he knew that he and Carla were only supposed to get a coffee and even though he knew he didn't really deserve it, Peter couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that Carla wasn't going to invite him in.

She hadn't exactly shut him out, she hadn't closed the door behind her and had actually left it wide open but Peter wasn't rude enough to just prance right in… and if he was honest with himself, he really didn't have the guts.

He didn't want to do anything that would annoy or anger Carla in the slightest because he knew that this time he currently had with her was going to be extremely precious.

Whilst he waited for her, wondering what on earth she could be doing, Peter took another long look at Carla's pretty stunning house.

It wasn't humongous by any means but it seemed like it would have been just the right size for her... and Nick.

The right size for a newly married couple… the right size for two people who were maybe going to start a family.

It pained Peter tremendously to think of Carla and Nick, especially to imagine that they could have maybe had a family one day but he knew that was his punishment for what he did to her and he knew that even though it hurt him tremendously so, he knew he'd rather her be happy... even if it was with Nick.

At the image of Carla living in married bliss with his old rival, Peter delved into his pocket and pulled out a trusty box of cigarettes whilst he continued to wait for Carla.

It was once he'd lit his cigarette and put his fag packet back into his jean pocket that Peter saw Carla appear once again.

She came outside of her house but this time… she wasn't alone.

At her feet stood a simply adorable and very excited little puppy on a bright blue lead.

The puppy's fluffy fur was mostly white but the fur on his ears was a light golden brown colour and as Carla walked towards him she saw Peter's lips break in to an incredibly wide smile.

"Hey…" He said in awe, bending down as the puppy ran towards him, "Who's this little guy?" he asked, almost amazed to see Carla armed with a dog, even if it was a tiny one.

She had never shown much of an interest in animals before, She'd always seemed indifferent to his family's Dog Eccles and yet, here she was, stood before him with a puppy stood at her black boots.

"Bailey... He were avin a nap earlier but he's awake now… I though I could hear him running about the place… He's gonna come with us and get some fresh air." Carla said as Peter actually threw his almost un-smoked cigarette onto the ground and reached over to stroke a very friendly Bailey.

"Bailey…" Peter repeated, still smiling and bending to take a closer look at the delightful puppy that was clearing enjoying being stroked so gently.

"Yeah… Bailey… he's named after two of me favourite things..." Carla said, smirking and then trailing off because she wondered if what she was about to say would really be appropriate.

Just by looking at Peter in those first few awkward moments when they had met earlier, Carla could tell he truly hadn't had a drink in years but still, even the mere mention of the word alcohol might have an adverse effect on Peter.

However… Carla needn't of worried, Peter chuckled and nodded as Bailey jumped up to try and reach his face.

"Coffee and Alcohol?" Peter replied, referring to the name Bailey and knowing that's what Carla had meant when she had said two of her favourite things.

"Yeah…" Carla said slightly sheepishly, she had hold of Bailey's lead tightly and pulled it back towards her a little to give Peter some space, not that he wanted space of course. He adored Dogs and was still stroking Bailey fondly as he asked,

"What breed is he?"

"He's a Labradoodle… A cross between a Lab and a Poodle..." Carla nodded as Peter eventually stood up straight. He looked genuinely delighted as he gazed into Carla's eyes and for a moment... She let him stare right at her in silence.

She let herself stare back into his brown eyes before eventually, shaking her head quickly and clearing her throat.

"Right... let's get this coffee shall we?" She said, retracting Bailey's lead so he would leave Peter alone and so they could start walking. Peter nodded slowly knowing that Carla was starting to feel just as nervous as he was whenever things got silent between them and deciding he'd try and keep the conversation flowing.

"Where did ya get him then?" Peter asked.

"Well... when I first got ere I kept seeing this old lady in the local café, anyways we got to talking during that first week and I mentioned that I was living alone ere n eventually she dragged out of me that I was feeling a little…" Carla stopped talking for a moment as she and Peter began walking out of her drive together.

She had paused because she had always found it hard to admit her true feelings with people... But with Peter, well with Peter it was different.

It had always been different.

Carla had always been able to admit her deepest and darkest feelings to Peter and know that he'd never ever judge her for them.

Even after all this time, She knew she could still do this with Peter and she had only paused because it had been so long since she could be so honest to someone.

"I were feeling a little lonely n Win, she's the old lady, She said that her son is a dog breeder and that he had a load of puppies that he wanted to give a good home to. She said she thought I should take one since I were so lonely n all… I were reluctant at first, I mean I really didn't think a dog would help me in the slightest…" Carla admitted, "But… after a few days n a lot of thinking... I went with Win to her son's place to see these puppies n then… I dunno… Bailey just walked over to me n that was it… I had to have him." Peter smiled at Carla again as she looked down at her little puppy and smiled lovingly, showing that she really did care about the animal at her feet.

Peter was extremely glad to see Carla's lips form into a small version of that smile he had missed and although he would have preferred to see that small smile properly and to have had her smiling at him, he still couldn't help but watch Carla fondly as she continued to speak.

"I've never had a pet before… always wanted one as a kid… but y'know what the situation was like there..." She said half reminiscently and half bitter sweetly, "I had to do a lot of research… Josh helped me with all that though… He's Win's son, He helped me with what to buy n stuff and he helped me get used to looking after Bailey... He actually came over to my place a few times and helped me sort everything out."

"That were nice of him." Peter said, trying not to sound as if he wanted to hear more about this Josh.

He knew he was being foolish, He knew he had absolutely no right but he couldn't help but suddenly feel jealous of this Josh.

Whoever this Josh was, he'd been around Carla's place a few times and Peter couldn't help but think that any man who spent even the shortest amount of time with Carla, would obviously fall in love with her… after all... How could they not?

"Yeah it were…" Carla said, pointing in the direction they needed to go next as Peter lit another cigarette.

She couldn't help but smirk as they walked up the street together, knowing exactly what Peter was thinking about Josh. She decided not to pay any more mind to it because she did feel like it served Peter right to be just a little bit jealous.

"It were great though..." Carla began, talking about her pet once again. "Cause I've had so much free time on me hands since being down ere, I was able to stay at home with Bailey for most of the time and help him get used to everything."

"How old is Bailey then?" Peter asked, putting his cigarette into his mouth as he spoke, not feeling so much jealously as Carla didn't really show much more enthusiasm about this guy called Josh.

"Four months." Carla said smiling down at her beloved dog once again before Peter blew smoke out of his mouth and said,

"Ahh…" He kept smiling at Carla in a way that she had to fight incredibly hard not to blush at and as he took another drag of his cigarette he glanced around him and said, "So… How's Devon then?"

"Boring." Carla said but she was grinning as she said it which made Peter a little confused.

"Boring?" Peter repeated as Carla laughed silently and nodded.

"Yeah… Boring… But in a good way." She said with a soft smile, still not the one Peter was waiting for but still, he was glad that she at least seemed happy... On the surface that was.

He still wasn't sure he had totally worked out how Carla was truly coping given today being the anniversary of one of the worst days of her life.

"I mean I've asked around..." Carla continued, "There's been no local murders recently, no fires burning down buildings and guess what else?" Carla asked as Bailey stopped at a tree and gave it a sniff. Peter shrugged and grinned before Carla said, "The people round ere don't know everyones business... It's a flamin miracle."

"Ahhh I see…" Peter said with an amused nod, "So that's what you meant by boring, none of that wacky Weatherfield drama eh?"

"Pretty much… I mean so far anyway." Carla nodded back at him happily. As Peter walked and followed her directions, he still watched Carla and from what he could see, she really did enjoy living in Devon at least.

He had to admit when he had first read her address he couldn't have imagined her living in such a place.

He thought that Carla would get bored and that she would hate it there but as they walked towards the town centre, it really did seem that Carla liked where she was currently living.

Slowly but surely, the conversation between Carla and Peter became slightly reminiscent of their old ways. Of course, there was a million of things that they didn't say to each other... things that they desperately wanted to but Carla and Peter were able to chat as if they were two old friends who had just ran into each other by coincidence.

After a few more moments of companionable conversation, Carla and Peter finally reached a parade of shops and restaurants, they passed a bread shop, a sweet shop, an Italian restaurant and more and as they continued to walk, Bailey ran along happily beside them.

"Ere we are..." Carla said, stopping outside a cafe that had been painted a bright blue. It had a bright yellow door and had a sign above that saying, _Ben's Bites_ "It's not Roy's Rolls... but it'll do." Carla said and now she was looking slightly downtrodden as she spoke about Roy's Rolls.

Peter tried to finish his cigarette quickly as he had thought Carla was going to head inside but instead she chose to sit down on one of the empty tables that had been placed outside the café.

"Can't take Bailey in there… Old Ben really doesn't like dogs..." Carla said as she sat down on one of the bright yellow wicker chairs that were on offer. Peter was surprised to see that Bailey sat down immediately at Carla's feet and it was soon very clear to Peter that Bailey was more than used to sitting down at this café, especially when a red headed, middle aged waitress came outside with a pad and a pen and said,

"Hi Carla, how are you today love?" Carla smiled politely at the waitress who then looked at Peter raised an eyebrow.

Peter felt slightly self conscious for a moment, wondering what on earth this red headed woman was thinking as she looked at him in such a way but then she smirked wickedly at Carla and said,

"Who's your handsome friend then?" Peter grinned smugly at this comment whilst Carla pretended to scoff and say,

"Oh don't... Peter really doesn't need a bigger ego than the one he's already got thank you very much Jen." She pointed at Peter with half a smirk of her own and said, "Peter this is Jenny, She's Ben's wife, Jenny… this Is Peter... he's…" She paused, wondering what the best way was to introduce Peter.

She didn't want to say that he was her ex because she thought things might then become very awkward but as she and Peter were very very slowly starting to get a bit of their old banter back she also didn't want to leave it as just Peter… after all, he was definitely more than just Peter.

He was her friend... right?

"He's an old friend." Carla eventually said, albeit slightly awkwardly, hoping Peter wouldn't take offence to the way she had introduced him.

"Hi Jenny, It's nice to meet you.." Peter smiled ever so smoothly, causing Jenny the waitress to get slightly flustered and say,

"You n all." Carla rolled her eyes and diverted her gaze to a very settled Bailey as Jenny asked, "What can I get ya today then?"

"Well I'll ave a strong coffee and one of your delicious brownies please Jenny n Peter will ave…" Carla said, looking back up at Peter who was gazing through the large glass window as if he was trying to see the Menu that was above the till.

"Erm…" he said slowly, "I'll ave a coffee too and..." he squinted as he tried to read the large menu on the wall and after a few seconds Carla laughed and said,

"Just get him a brownie too, he'll love it." Peter smiled and nodded as Jenny the waitress wrote it all down on her pad.

"Okay, won't be long." She said smiling politely at Carla and Peter before walking back inside of the café and leaving them alone once again.

Peter gazed around him for a moment as Carla bent down and stroked Bailey gently on the head, she knew that know they were settled they should probably talk again... only this time she wanted to find out more.

This time friendly conversations about Dogs and the weather just wouldn't cut it.

"So…" Carla said taking a deep breath as she raised her hand back up to the table. "How d'ya find me then?"

"You make it sound as if you're part of the witness protection program or somethin..." Peter chuckled. Carla laughed too... for a moment anyway and then she took a deep breath and looked at Peter in a way that almost made him shiver.

"Peter..." She said softly, "Who told you I were ere?"

Peter rested his hands on the table in front of him as Carla watched him... and waited with bated breath for his response.

He didn't even dare to think about lying this time.

Instead he came straight out with the truth, which even though what he said surprised Carla, it relived her all the same because Peter was being honest with her.

"Simon."


	4. Smile

"Simon?" She repeated with her eyes wide.

Carla had not been expecting that name to leave Peter's lips but she soon realised that suddenly... it all made sense.

"Yep." Peter nodded, "He told me that you got in contact with him just after you left…"

This was true.

Unbeknownst to any one else, Carla and Simon had both been keeping in contact since Carla had left Manchester for Devon back in the end of May.

She had text him a few days after she had left and to her complete and utter surprise he had text her back a short while later on that very day.

"Well… I felt really bad y'know, for the leaving n not saying Goodbye to him. I know me n him ain't always seen eye to eye but I just wanted to let him know that no matter what… I'd still cut off me own arm to save him from misery… he's still me Stepson… n I love him.." Carla said affectionately, resting her hands on the table in front of her just like Peter had done.

He smiled at her fondly, his heart ached at Carla's lovely words about Simon and for a moment he was left speechless.

"How he is?" Carla asked curiously, wondering if Peter had been in touch with his son recently.

"Yeah… he's alright." Peter said nodding slowly, "I mean as far as I know, we talk almost every day but y'know what he's like, he doesn't talk about his feelings much… especially now he's a teenager…"

"He texts sometimes." Carla told with half a smile, "N I text back n stuff… It's nice..."

"Oh _I_ see, so Simon can ave your new number can he?" Peter joked with an eyebrow raised and for the first time that day, he saw Carla actually smile at him.

Properly this time.

It wasn't a smirk or even the slightest bit sarcastic ... It was a smile.

A joyous smile, a wide one, one that was so infectious it instantly made Peter return the favour.

For a moment the pair sat opposite each other, grinning like a pair of Cheshire cats before Carla sheepishly looked away first.

"I gave him my address too…" She said, looking down at her hands although she was still smiling, Mainly because of Peter. "I said if he ever wanted to get away from the dreary streets of Weatherfield… he could come n stay ere."

"He told me… that were really sweet of you Carla." Peter said watching her appreciatively. "It really means a lot to me that you n Simon stay in touch… At least I didn't completely mess you two's relationship up like I did with ours eh?"

Peter spoke in total seriousness this time, without even a hint of irony.

Carla saw the rather guilty look creep onto Peter's face and although she knew he was right to feel bad, she couldn't help but shake her head at him sympathetically.

"So, what happened then? Did I just come up in the topic of conversation one night?" Carla asked, "How did ya end up with me address? Did you ask Si for it this morning or... What?"

"No… he gave it me back in July actually." Peter said as Jenny the waitress brought out two large mugs of coffee. She went to place them on the table but paused when she saw that Carla and Peter's hands were almost touching.

It wasn't too long before Carla and Peter both realised what Jenny was looking down at with a raised eyebrow and they quickly moved their hands away so she could put the coffee down in front of them.

"I'll be back with your brownies in a jiffy…" Jenny said with a smirk before heading back inside the café and Carla knew that the next time she visited this café she would be bombarded with all sorts of questions from Jenny about _her friend Peter_.

There was then a small silence between Carla and Peter, Peter put his hands back on the table before Carla eventually cleared her throat and said,

"Go on then… Simon gave you me address in July n you waited what? Two whole months to find me?" She made it clear she was joking by rolling her eyes in a comical fashion and making Peter grin again.

"Well I wanted to get in contact… straight away in fact, especially after I heard… what happened y'know… with Nick…" Peter paused awkwardly and looked slightly concerned as Carla rolled her eyes for real this time. It was as if she was totally bored of talking about Nick even though the mere topic of him hadn't even been mentioned with Peter yet. "But… I errr didn't want to intrude y'know…"

"Why did he give it ya then? My address?" Carla asked intrigued, still wondering how the conversation about her came up between Simon and Peter.

"Long story short… I got this text from Simon one night and in it, he'd put your address saying that he wanted me to have it… he said he felt like one day I might need it… He said that one day… he felt like you might need me to have it… N well... ere we are eh?" Peter said, shrugging because still to this day he didn't quite get Simon's text message.

Carla sat quietly for a moment as she tried to work out exactly what Simon's text message to his Dad had meant.

As much as she could gather, Simon had somehow decided that one day his Dad would need to get in contact with her. But... Why?

Carla couldn't be sure but in a very strange way she felt as if maybe after all their conversations through text, Simon had anticipated she would eventually need a day like today.

Carla then thought about how she had been feeling after waking up in that cold sweat during the early hours of the morning.

She thought about how lonely she was sure today was going to be and now she really couldn't believe that she was actually spending today with someone after all.

Someone who (as much as she'd hate to admit it) knew her better than she knew herself.

She watched him pick up his coffee mug and take a sip as she wondered just how much he knew about what happened during that horrible last week of May.

She wondered who had told him about Nick in the first place and how he felt about it.

She wondered what he did when he'd got that letter saying she wanted a divorce and she wondered just exactly how much he knew about how she had come to end up in Devon.

After a few more quiet sips of coffee and after bending down to give Bailey a quick stroke, Carla eventually gathered up the courage to ask,

"So… What exactly… did ya hear about me n Nick then?" Peter swallowed his coffee not expecting this question at all.

He saw the very straight and serious expression Carla had on her face and sighed lightly before saying,

"Well… I first heard you two were an item when Simon accidentally let it slip back at Christmas..." As he spoke Peter didn't look as if he had been very pleased at the idea of Carla and Nick together, in fact the look he had on his face right now was one Carla only ever saw when Peter spoke about someone he really really detested.

Peter couldn't believe it when he first heard about Carla and Nick being an item and he would be have been lying if he said the news didn't take him months and months to get over and then it got worse.

Carla and Nick were suddenly engaged.

"I bet you had a lot to say on the matter..." Carla said as she took a sip off her own coffee, knowing that Nick had always been Peter's main rival and knowing that there was no way Simon hadn't got an earful about the fact that she was marrying Nick.

"Yeah... You could say that…" Peter smirked, nodding as Carla put her mug down and also as Jenny brought out two rather large chocolate brownies on separate white plates.

"Wow." Peter said, staring at the scrumptious brownie that had been placed in front of him. "That looks amazing." The brownie had large chunks of Dark Chocolate on it and as Jenny placed another one in front of Carla she said,

"Thank you. It's one of our best sellers."

"N rightly so... Thank's Jen." Carla added smiling politely at Jenny who said,

"Enjoy." And then began to walk away and into the café.

Carla had already tucked into her brownie and was eating a huge piece of it as Peter decided he should probably continue with what he was saying,

"Errr… So back to… you n Nick." He said awkwardly as Carla chewed her brownie and nodded. "Obviously I heard you two were engaged… Simon couldn't stop talking about it which was quite annoying If I'm honest, He said it thought it was dead weird that his Step Parents were getting married… Anyways… Then, shortly after Simon gets back to Manchester... after he came to stay in May... He calls me up and tells me that you've just moved away… That you've moved away without Nick and that something happened at the wedding... He said that Nick left you." Peter said delicately.

"Is that it?" Carla asked, slightly surprised to hear that Peter hadn't been properly filled in on all the gory details of her nightmare wedding.

"Yeah, Pretty much." Peter nodded slowly, "I mean Si said that he hadn't been told too much about it but a week or so later I spoke to him about it again and he'd spoken to Amy who had told him Tracy had tried to ruin the wedding."

"Yeah..." Carla nodded with a sigh, "I guess I should ave expected that from Tracy really… I mean it were only fair she try to ruin my wedding, After all I ruined her wedding didn't I? Calling the police on me murdering baby brother n all that."

"She were bang out of order." Peter said shaking his head at Carla, "Then again, Tracy always is out of order..." Carla kept silent for a moment and wrapped her hands around her cup of coffee to keep warm.

The weather in Devon was sunny but chilly and being sat outside was starting to take it's toll on Carla and Peter for that matter who ended up doing the same thing.

"Do you know why?" Carla asked quietly, staring at Peter who hadn't started on his brownie yet because he was far too captivated by Carla to want to eat.

"Why what?" Peter replied.

"Why… he left me." Carla said with her voice still quiet, as if she was scared to ask the question. She still staring at Peter intently as she waited for his response.

"Yeah..." He nodded slowly which made Carla close her eyes ashamedly for a moment.

She didn't say anything for the longest time, she just sat there with her hands around her cup in utter silence.

It was very clear to Peter that Carla was ashamed about what she had done, he could tell this mainly by the mortified look on her face… he could tell because after all, he'd been in her position before.

He knew just how much his foolish mistakes had cost him everything so he knew how Carla must have been feeling right now.

"We almost made it y'know…" She eventually said, looking up at Peter with tears in her eyes, "Me n Nick… I mean I told him... n he still married me… I could barley believe it, we were literally sat there, halfway through our reception for god's sake… n then..."

Peter kept quiet as Carla paused again and tried her hardest not to cry.

He kept quiet because as much as he had wanted to ask Carla how Nick had actually ended things with her, he didn't want to push it.

He didn't want to bombard Carla with too many silly questions and comments because he could tell reliving all of this was extremely hard for her.

"He... said that he couldn't figure out if I was lying or telling the truth… I don't blame him really…" Carla said after another moment or two of silence, a tear ran down her cheek as she spoke but she very quickly wiped it away before anyone else but Peter saw it. "And then… We were over. Just like that he ended it."

Peter couldn't comprehend it.

Not at all.

He was sure had he been in Nick's shoes… Had Carla cheated on him when they were together, Peter was sure he would have forgiven her… but then again Peter knew it wasn't really fair to think that way.

After all he knew that he and Nick were two very different people.

However, As he sat before Carla who was still trying her best not to burst into tears, Peter felt as if he could forgive her anything... absolutely anything.

He watched as she tucked some of her long brown hair behind an ear and sniffed hard and Yes, Peter felt one hundred per cent sure that no matter what she did, he would never… ever have left her.

As Carla shook her head and picked up her coffee mug, Peter was finally brave enough to clear his throat and ask her,

"And that was it?" Carla put her mug down after sipping her coffee and wiped her eyes gently as Peter continued and said, "You didn't try to change his mind?"

"You mean did I get down on me knees and beg for his forgiveness like you did?" Carla replied, her eyes weren't so shiny anymore as she spoke and Peter couldn't help but give Carla a nervous smile and say,

"Yeah… Why not?"

"Well…" Carla began, leaning back on her chair slightly and watching Peter with an eyebrow raised. "Tell me Peter, How did that work out for you when you did it?"

"Okay." Peter nodded fairly. "Point taken... Although I would go back n do it all again... Just so I could say that I tried."

"Nick's mind wouldn't have been changed Peter." Carla said quietly, shaking her head and picking at her brownie. "I know that for a fact…" Carla paused again and watched Peter who went to sip his own coffee, "You know what though… In an odd way... I'm actually really glad."

"Glad?" Peter repeated, putting his mug down in a rather stunned fashion and staring at Carla because a moment ago she looked devastated.

As much as it burned him, Peter knew that Carla really and truly must have loved Nick... that she was probably still in love with him due to the way she looked when she spoke about him so he really couldn't understand why she was supposedly glad he hadn't taken her back.

"I know it sounds weird but… He were so awful to me Peter… In front of everyone... In front of the whole wedding in fact. He talked about all the things that I hate about me self n he used them as reasons not to be with me… He went from being someone I thought loved me to someone who seemed to hate me in matter of minutes…" Peter felt his eyes narrow at Carla's words and looked utterly furious at the idea of Nick humiliating Carla so publicly.

She genuinely looked hurt as she spoke and Peter couldn't not stand the look on her face as she continued to pick some of the huge chocolate chips off her brownie.

"The man is a complete and utter prat Carla." Peter said because even though he knew it sounded petty, he thought he that it would help. Carla just shrugged at Peter and rolled her eyes before sighing heavily and saying,

"Yeah... I'm well out of it to be honest… The more I think about our relationship, the more I think we were doomed from the get go… Besides, look how quick he's moved on? I mean don't get me wrong Peter, I realise that I cheated on the man but come on? I've been gone what, almost four months and the man has already gone and got Leanne bloody Battersby Pregnant."

"So you know then?" Peter said, glad that he didn't have to be the one to break the news to Carla about Nick and Leanne being an item again because he thought it would hurt her even more.

"Course I do, Chelle told me n I just couldn't believe it." Carla said shaking her head in disbelief, "They both swore to me they were over each other... So many times and yet the flamin moment I skip town they're back together…" Carla let out a dry laugh and had an eyebrow raised as she spoke. She watched Peter who was the one to shrug this time and say,

"Yeah but y'know what I reckon? There are some people… some couples that'll never really be over each other… even if they think they are… somehow they always end up back in each lives again…" As he spoke Peter was staring back at Carla fervently and was surprised to see that she wasn't trying to avoid his intense gaze this time.

They both knew that what Peter had said was extremely relevant to their current situation and for a while they both sat quietly.

"They're welcome to each other I suppose…" Carla sighed again and shook her head a little, as if she still couldn't believe any of the stuff she had been talking about had even happened. "I hope Nick's happy… he deserves happiness."

"So do you." Peter said firmly, looking at Carla with his forehead furrowed because he knew how much she could beat herself up when she wanted to. "You know that right? You deserve just as much happiness as anyone else… more in fact after everything you've been through."

"No…" Carla said, shaking her head but giving Peter a small smile. "My life's not all that bad… There are people dealing with a hell of a lot worse than I ave done in the past y'know."

"Yes, True however that doesn't mean that everything that has happened to you in the past should just be forgotten." Peter said as Carla picked up her coffee mug and took a long sip.

"I know..." Carla began as she put her mug down, She shrugged and looked down at Bailey who was still sat patiently at her feet before saying, "I just wanna move on from it all… ave a proper fresh start y'know?" Peter nodded at Carla understandingly and smiled as she pushed his brownie plate towards him and said, "Now... Start eating that brownie will you."

* * *

Just under an hour later and Peter was still feeling privileged to be in Carla's company.

They spoke some more about Simon and about the things they had been doing since leaving Weatherfield and even though he still had about a thousand or so questions and even though he still wanted to talk to her about what today meant, Peter just let Carla steer the direction of their conversation.

Once he had finished eating the best brownie of his life and after insisting that he paid for everything, He, Carla and Bailey of course, left Ben's bites and headed back in the direction of Carla's house.

Peter had assumed that this was it.

That he would just go back to his car, say a rather hard goodbye to Carla and then head on home but as Carla and Bailey turned a corner he didn't recognise from the way there, he asked,

"Where we going?"

"To the beach." Carla said with a smile, she looked a lot brighter than she had done whilst sat at the table outside the café earlier on, her green eyes weren't shiny anymore and she honestly looked content as she walked alongside Peter with Bailey's lead in one hand and her other in her pocket.

"The beach?" Peter asked although he wasn't about to say no to visiting the beach with Carla, he wouldn't say no about doing anything with Carla at this point and wondered by questioning her decision if he'd suddenly messed everything up.

Peter needn't have worried, Carla just grinned at him, nodded her head as she moved some of her long hair out of her face and said,

"Yeah…the beach... Or d'ya not fancy a tour of the place after all?"


	5. The Beach

"Or D'ya not fancy a tour of the place after all?"

Carla pointed eagerly ahead of them, still smiling and as Peter followed her direction he saw that they really were headed to a pristine beach that was only a few minutes or so ahead of them.

"Lead the way then." Peter nodded trying not to act as if he was completely and utterly thrilled at the idea of visiting the beach with Carla.

He had never imagined an experience like this in a million years and couldn't help but think he was extremely lucky she hadn't sent him packing yet.

The pair companionably walked side by side down the road in silence, both feeling as if they were rather comfortable with the other.

Peter was busy taking in his new surroundings whilst Carla took the time to think quietly to herself.

She wasn't sure exactly what made her want to take Peter to the beach with her but here they were, almost there.

The strict, common sense part of her mind told Carla to take Peter straight back to his car and let that be it... but Carla's heart was much stronger than her mind was. It always had been and all she knew right now was that Peter was not only a joy to be around but that he was also a welcome distraction from today.

Carla also knew that deep down inside, she really wasn't fine and she really wasn't ready to say goodbye to Peter just yet.

She thought about his earlier comment... The one about how some couples never get over each other

Despite the fact that it scared her shitless, Carla knew that she would probably never be over the man who was walking next to her and she couldn't help but wonder... if he was over her.

She studied him up and down as they strolled down the rather quiet lane which led to the beach and as he went into his pocket to get out a Cigarette, She couldn't help but let her gaze linger on.

Then, Peter suddenly looked up and at Carla with his cigarette hanging out of his mouth. He caught her staring at him and for that moment he felt as if his heart had actually skipped at beat.

This was because Carla wasn't watching him like before. It wasn't like before, when she was in complete and utter surprise and she had first seen him stood there in front of his car, she also wasn't watching him suspiciously and wondering why he had come to see her.

This time she was staring at him... in admiration.

"I like your beard." Carla eventually said, feeling slightly foolish but wanting to say something to start up a conversation again although these particular topic did nothing to ease the slight sexual tension that was brewing between them. She looked at his beard, which was the fullest she'd ever seen it and nodded as she then added, "It suits you… a lot." She then looked away quickly and stared ahead of them instead.

Peter looked thrilled at the rather unexpected compliment and as he lit his cigarette he gave Carla a coy nod and said,

"Thank you… Si's not a big fan of it... He says it's a hipster beard… What ever that is?" Carla laughed as Peter blew smoke out of his mouth and to return a compliment to Carla, he truthfully said, "I like your hair."

"Really?" Carla asked, screwing up her face a little as she and Peter were almost approaching the steps which led down to the beach. She then looked down at the hair that was hanging way over her shoulders as Peter nodded and said,

"Yeah course… I like the length of it… I always said you should grow it long, didn't I?" Carla nodded with a coy smile and knew that she couldn't stare at Peter for too long because somehow it made her feel even more shy then before. She quickly diverted her stare down to Bailey who had stopped walking to sniff a tree again and said,

"Almost there... Bailey loves the beach." She pointed ahead of them and as Peter took a look at the almost empty beach that they were now stood close to, He couldn't believe that this place was where Carla actually lived.

He watched as the waves of the sea swayed back and forth and after finishing his cigarette, he couldn't help but start to feel slightly jealous that this was actually where she lived.

As they walked down the stairs which led to the beach Peter kept his eyes on Carla, she had her gaze fixated on the sea ahead of them and when she reached the bottom of the stone steps, she bent down and gave Bailey the puppy a gentle stroke before letting him off his lead to roam free on the beach.

As Bailey sprinted up the sand ahead, Peter took another long look at where he was currently stood. Cliffs surrounded the far end of the beach and even though it was still slightly chilly, the sky was a shade of bright blue and the sun shone immensely.

The sand seemed to stretch on and on, as far as Peter could see and as he and Carla began walking up it to catch up with Bailey, Peter spotted the immaculate Sandcastles that Carla had passed every day since she had been there.

"Wow look at those…" He said, as they walked closer to them. Carla nodded as Peter stared down at them in awe.

An old couple who were dressed in full on winter coats, hats and scarfs and who were also holding hands, had stopped to admire the mysterious Sand structures too and as Peter bent down to take a closer look, Carla said,

"They appear here every day…"

"Really?" The old woman said in amazement, She had a London accent and it was now very clear to Carla and Peter that the couple were obviously visitors to Devon.

"Yep." Carla nodded, "Each morning without fail n no one knows who makes em either. I've never made a sandcastle in me life so I can't even imagine how long they must take to do and yet, every morning, ere they are."

"Look at the attention to detail… How wonderful." The old man said, still clutching onto the woman's hand as if he would never let go. Carla smiled down at the couples' entwined hands as Peter stood up straight and grinned. The Sandcastles, which appeared on the beach where he and Carla were stood really did look magnificent and also as if they took a hell of a lot of time but that still didn't stop a rather amused Peter from joking with the old couple and Carla by saying,

"Although… I do reckon I could make ones just as fantastic as that to be honest."

"Please." Carla scoffed, rolling her eyes in an amused fashion as they old lady and man laughed because they could tell that Peter was joking.

"I could… Honestly I could.." Peter nodded with a smirk, putting his hands in his pockets as Carla turned to check on Bailey, he was still running around the beach happily, only slightly further ahead of them as the old lady pointed over to a little stall that was further ahead of them and said,

"Well… in that case you better get started." Peter turned to where the old lady was pointing and saw that the stall sold all sorts of different types of Seaside items, including a trusty bucket and spade.

Peter chuckled at the old lady as Carla grinned and nudged him in the side saying,

"Yeah go on then, No time like the present. Get to it Peter, make with these fantastic Sandcastles of yours."

Peter, being Peter nodded and jogged ahead towards the beach stall, leaving Carla stood with the old couple who thoroughly looked amused at his behaviour.

When he eventually returned he was clutching two buckets and two spades and he was grinning at Carla in a way, which told her exactly what he was thinking and planning,

"Errr no." She said, shaking her head as Peter practically flung a bright blue bucket and matching spade towards her.

"Ohhh yes." Peter said sternly because he decided that Carla needed to have some much needed fun, today of all days. "You've just stood there n said how you've never made a Sandcastle in your life, well now's ya chance love, Come on..."

The old couple watched as Peter walked a little further up the beach, looking for his own spot to build a Sandcastle and as he found the perfect one, he grinned over at Carla and said,

"Let's do it ere." He gave her thumbs up before actually getting down and onto the sand and using his bright yellow spade to start digging. Carla shook her head at Peter in the distance, highly amused as the old man chuckled joyfully and said with a croaky voice,

"You gonna go and help out your mate then?"

"Oh, Gerald I think they are more than mates…" The old lady said, giving Carla a knowing smile and then a wink.

Carla tried her hardest to look as if she and Peter really were _just friends_ but as she watched Peter fill up the bucket that was in front of him, she couldn't help but laugh affectionately and say,

"He's such a big kid."

"Embrace it." The old lady nodded, smiling even more at Carla now. "If you don't, you'll only regret letting these fun and spontaneous moments pass you by when you get to our age." The old man nodded slowly and adorably kissed his wife on the cheek as Carla laughed and said,

"You're kidding right, He almost is your age."

"I heard that." Peter called from where he was sat on the grass.

"She's right though..." The Old Man said as Carla took another glance over at Bailey who had run up to Peter for another hearty stroke and then looked back at the old couple before her with a smile.

The lady was right.

Why shouldn't Carla have a bit of playful and harmless fun with Peter… After all, they were on a beach… That's what you did on beaches wasn't it?

"Well... it was nice to meet you." Carla said before giving them a quick wave and starting to walk towards Peter.

She rolled her eyes as she approached him and couldn't believe that Peter was actually down on his knees in the sand, filling up a bucket with sand and looking as if he was enjoying every single moment of it.

"Come on then you…" He said, smirking and with an unmistakable cheeky glint in his eyes. "Get on your knees n help me out ere."

"Well…" Carla said with a rather filthy giggle as she gingerly got down and onto the sand, "It's been rather a long time since I've been spoken to like that." Peter laughed out loud as he put his spade down and picked up his bucket.

Bailey was still stood close by as Peter quickly tipped his bucket over, he left it on the sand and asked Carla,

"Ave you seriously never built a sandcastle before?"

"Nope." Carla said, shaking her head as she slowly began to put sand into her own blue bucket. "Me Mum wasn't exactly the holiday type so me n Rob didn't ever get the opportunity to do stuff like this, The closest we got to sand as kids were the sand tray down at school."

Peter felt his heart ache. The way it always did when Carla spoke about her childhood to him.

He watched as she eagerly began to fill up her bucket with sand, He was unaware that she knew exactly what he was doing and he was unaware that she was beginning to get a little sheepish to have him paying so much attention to her.

She could practically feel that his brown eyes were totally focused on her and as she looked up from what she was doing, She smiled brightly at Peter and said,.

"Are you gonna turn that over then?" She pointed at the bucket Peter had filled up. He smiled excitedly back at her with his eyes wide and nodded before saying,

"Ere goes." He lifted up the bucket with such high expectations that he was rather devastated to see that the sand didn't keep the bucket shape and just collapsed before him into a heap.

Carla couldn't help it.

She laughed loudly at Peter's failure and even though he shook his head in disappointment, to see Carla laugh in such a carefree way made him feel totally euphoric

"Oh don't look like that ya big baby, try again." Carla said when she had stopped laughing. Peter grinned at her before picking up his spade and starting to fill up his bucket once again.

* * *

"Well…" Peter said dusting sand off his hands as he sat down on a deck chair that Carla had just rented for them to sit on, "I think we did a pretty good job if I'm honest." He was nodding proudly at the rather small sandcastle he and Carla had just finished building.

It was absolutely nothing near the beauty or size of the ones that appeared on the beach every morning and it was slightly on the wonky side but Peter still looked pretty pleased with his and Carla's efforts.

"Hmmm…" She said, sitting down on the deck chair that she had placed next to Peter's. "Let's just say I don't reckon we're any competition for whoever makes those over there." She said pointing over to the magnificent castles, which was now quite a bit away from them.

"We just need a bit more practice that's all." Peter said putting his hands into his pockets as Carla placed Bailey's lead on her lap.

Once again her puppy was running around the beach freely and as he did so, Carla smiled lovingly over at him and said,

"Told ya he loves the beach."

"How could he not?" Peter said, stretching his legs out and making himself comfortable. "It's beautiful ere." He looked around him and saw a few people stop to admire the Sandcastles up ahead.

He and Carla were two of about fifteen people that Peter could see on the beach and as Carla put her own cold hands into her jacket pocket he asked,

"Is it always this quiet ere?"

"No." Carla said, shaking her head slowly. "When I first got ere it was summer and it was packed full of people but as it's started to get cooler the amount of visitors has gone down a lot… Although it still gets quite busy in the evenings and on the weekend." She smiled because Peter was still watching their sandcastle and when he looked away he turned to Carla and said,

"What d'ya reckon the chances are it'll last till morning?"

"Slim." Carla said shaking her head slowly, she sighed sadly which surprised Peter a little and then she said, "That's the thing with building Sandcastles… you spend so long… put so much effort in... so much care and then in the end… they just wash away."

"True…" Peter said nodding at Carla who looked as if she wasn't just talking about Sandcastles anymore, he gave her a soft smile and then added, "But it was a lot of fun while it lasted wasn't it?"

Carla didn't respond to Peter vocally but she eventually smiled back at Peter fondly and nodded.

"So, Who ave you kept contact with then?" Peter asked after a moment or two of pure silence , "Up in Manchester, I mean."

"Well… other than Chelle, Simon and Roy of course…" Carla began, thinking about the few people she still spoke to who still lived in Weatherfield. "I text Bethany sometimes, Me n her actually got along really well… We send funny little pictures to each other n Stuff Oh… and there's Johnny, Aidan n Kate of course."

"Who?" Peter asked curiously.

Carla had gotten so used to her newfound family that she had even forgotten that Peter new absolutely nothing about them.

"Oh…" Carla said awkwardly, She sighed because she knew that this story was about to sound ridiculous. "Johnny Connor… he's who I've got running the factory… n well he's... me Dad."

"Your Dad?" Peter replied confused. Carla nodded with a complete straight face which led to Peter to think for a moment and say, "Connor as in… Michelle Connor… her lot?"

"They very ones." Carla nodded, she sighed heavily again and said, "Cut a very long and rather Jeremy Kyle type of story short, My wonderful Mother slept with Michelle's second cousin Johnny and nine months later… Boom I came into the world.."

Peter was stunned into silence for another moment but he eventually asked,

"When did you find all this out?" He could tell that even though Carla was trying to make this conversation seem jokey and light hearted, the subject still pained her.

"Just after last Christmas." She replied, she watched Peter wait for a more explanative response and eventually said, "It were a shock… more than a shock actually… it rocked my world to be honest with ya Peter but… I've got used to it now… I Spose.." She smiled a small smile at Peter and said, "Johnny's great… it took a while but I ave grown quite fond of him n he's got two kids, Aidan n Kate… they're great too."

"So you finally got a little sister eh?" Peter said softly, smiling warmly at Carla who many years ago had told him that she had always wanted a little sister as a child.

"Yeah…" Carla nodded slowly, unable not to return Peter's smile because she was touched that he had remembered how much she had longed for a sister to go along with her and Rob. "Her n Aidan were thinking of coming to stay… maybe close to Christmas or something like that..."

"That's nice Carla… really nice." Peter replied. As he continued to watch Carla he had this really genuine and pleased smile on his face, one that showed Carla that he was glad she actually had some loving family… even they were far away in Manchester.

Bailey was still running back and forth along the sand, not getting anywhere near the water of course which he hated but as he did so, Peter and Carla just watched from their deckchairs.

There was a long silence as they did so but it was one that neither Carla or Peter minded because over the past few hours together they had become totally comfortable in each others a presence.

"Carla…" Peter said, turning to look at her after another few minutes or silence. "I know that you said you wanted to move on…" he began delicately, wondering if he should just shut up there and then. "But I… well I ave to ask."

"Ask what?" Carla responded.

"How's it really been today?"

"I.."Carla started, ready to say that she was okay when really she was counting every single blessing that Peter had turned up today and that she didn't have to deal with today alone.

"I know you said you were fine but... I'm guessing that was just what you have said to everyone who's asked you how you are today." Peter said, he sat up in his deck chair a little and took a long look at Carla who was staring down at her hands.

It took her a while but she eventually sat up properly and said,

"This morning was… awful." She began, sniffing a little and then sadly smiling at Peter who frowned. "And by this morning I mean waking up at around three am and not being able to get back to sleep."

"Ouch." Peter said wincing, "Ave you been up since then?"

"No I fell back asleep at sometime after four I think." Carla said, "but yeah… Those first few hours I couldn't stop thinking about… him then suddenly, suddenly I just said to me self, No. No you're not going to do this today. I mean if we ignore all the downright dreadful crap I've been through, my life is pretty damn good and I am not going to let that man… Frank Foster…" Carla paused because she hadn't said his name in a long time and then held her head high as she continued, "I... have decided that today is going to be a positive day… I've decided it's going to be a celebration of how far I've come these past five years. I am not going to let Frank Foster define how the rest of my day goes."

"Good for you." Peter nodded, proud of Carla as she sat next to him so bravely, she nodded back but her eyes were slightly teary again.

"It's hard though…" Carla admitted, sniffing hard and shaking her head at Peter, "N… Honestly... I'm not so sure how I can keep up with this whole positive attitude thing."

"Well… If it helps, you're doing amazing so far." Peter said and he gently took hold of Carla's hand which she had left placed on one of her knees.

She didn't move it. She didn't shudder at his touch like he had feared. Instead she just gripped his hand tightly and said.

"Thanks." Although Peter felt as if Carla didn't really believe what he was saying so he lent closer to Carla a little.

"Seriously Carla. I mean it and you're so right. Life is good, I mean look where you live…" Peter said, raising his free hand and gesturing around the beach. "It's paradise."

"I wouldn't go that far." Carla sniffed although she half laughed as she did it. "I mean the temperature around ere could definitely be improved."

"True." Peter laughed, he took another look out to the calming sea and then grinned at Carla mischievously before asking her, "So… what's it like in there then?"

"In where?" Carla asked, confused.

"There…" Peter nodded, "The sea."

"The sea?" Carla exclaimed, "How on earth would I know?" She said, narrowing her eyes at Peter. She'd spoke casually enough at first but then she read Peter's wicked grin properly and said, "Don't even think about it Peter Barlo _w."_

"Oh come on…" Peter cried, "You cannot be sitting there n telling me that this is practically your back garden and you haven't been in the water for a quick swim yet?" Peter shot up and out of the deck chair he had been sitting on and pulled Carla up with him.

"What are ya playing at?" She asked although she laughed as he went delving into her coat pockets. He laughed as he pulled out her keys, her purse and mobile phone. "Peter… don't you even dare!" She said, as he then went into his pocket and took out his car keys, his wallet and his own phone.

He casually chucked them all onto Carla's deck chair and then gave her an irresistible wink before saying,

"You ready?"

"No!" Carla cried as Peter grabbed her hand and started pulling her towards the sea. "Peter… no! It's the middle of September, it's going to be freezing in there!" She cried as Peter began to pick up speed.

If Carla had really wanted to she could have pulled away from Peter but in that moment she remembered what the old lady from earlier had said to her about letting these type of spontaneous moments pass by.

The next thing Carla knew she and Peter were stood up to their ankles in the sea and as the cold water filled her shoes and crashed against her legs, Carla screamed out loud and said,

"Oh god, Peter it's bloody freezing!" Peter just laughed at Carla's squeals and audaciously pulled Carla even deeper into the water. "Ahhh it's all going into me socks." Carla shouted but Peter just shrugged and said,

"My god it's cold..." Peter said, practically shaking as he spoke as the cold reached him properly.

"Yeah well I did warn ya..." Carla groaned, she looked behind her and then added, "Let's go back."

"Nah we're in now. Might as well make the most of it eh?" Peter said, smiling broadly now.

"Make the most of it eh?" Carla said, smiling naughtily at Peter before kicking a large amount of water in his direction.

"Oi!" He cried, trying his very best to dodge the water that came cascading towards him, Unfortunately Peter ended up getting drenched and before he could fight back, another wave of water came flying towards him, it was so strong it almost knocked him right off his feet which sent Carla into a fit of laughter.

"Not finding this so funny now are ya?" She said smugly, watching as Peter gasped and tried to find his footing. He shook his head at Carla although he had a rather large grin on his face as he did so.

"You are so gonna pay for that." Peter chuckled, he and Carla were now almost knee deep into the sea and even though the water truly was freezing, neither of them really seemed to care anymore.

"Yeah yeah, we'll see about that." Carla teased as she walked towards Peter in a nonchalant fashion, he watched her slightly entranced as he did so but this was a mistake because as soon as she was close enough, she bent down and used her arms to scoop up some water.

It flew towards Peter and soaked him once again but he was quicker this time and before Carla knew it Peter had both arms around her middle. She screamed out loud but Peter paid no mind to it, He bent her forward slightly and then used one hand to chuck some water, which splashed right into her face.

"Peter!" She wailed, half laughing half spluttering as her the front parts of her hair were now dripping wet and she now had water coming out of her eyes, ears and nose.

"Two can play of that game eh?" He chortled as he went to drench Carla once more.

After lots of laughing, play fighting and a hell of a lot of splashing, A very wet Carla rose her hands into the air and said,

"Alright... I surrender."

"You sure?" Peter asked, He still had Carla in his arms. She nodded as Peter helped her stand up right again and used the only dry part of his jacket to try and gently dry her face.

Carla was still laughing up until the moment she felt Peter's touch. Suddenly she stopped giggling and the touch of Peter's fingers felt as if all the laughter had been knocked right out of her.

Carla took a deep breath as Peter then ran a hand through her long and very wet hair. He still had his other arm around her middle and Carla didn't dare move away from him or resist.

"You okay?" Peter asked, his laughter had died down too and he was staring deep into Carla's light green eyes.

"I'll live." She said quietly.

The wonderful silence that then occurred between Carla and Peter only lasted a few seconds or so.

The sound of Bailey's barks shocked them both and brought their attention back to the world around them rather than it being totally fixated on each other.

"You alright Bailey?" Carla called, slightly take aback as she started to walk back towards the shore with Peter following behind her. She knew Bailey hated the water and wouldn't come any closer to her than he already was but before she left the water completely, Carla turned around and gave Peter another quick splash.

"Oi!" He shouted again, laughing as the water coated the middle of his body from the waist down. Carla poked her tongue out over her shoulder as she ran towards her dog and after bending down to see he was okay she stood up and said,

"He's fine… I think he was feeling a little left out that's all." Peter walked onto the sand again and ran a hand through his wet hair before laughing at the state of Carla who was stood before him.

Her black ripped jeans were totally sopping with water and her jacket and top weren't much better off either. The ends of her hair were dripping wet and as she put her hands into her pocket she shivered and said to Peter,

"You're a right pillock." She was smiling as she said it, looking at Peter who somehow was a lot wetter than she was. She leant forward, reached out and stroked Peter's wet beard before saying, "Oh... look at your hipster beard."

Peter grinned at Carla rather than respond to her. His leather jacket was dripping with water and as he took it off to try and wring out, Carla shook her head and said,

"What you gonna do now then eh?"

"Hmmm... that depends." Peter replied, "If you keep calling me names n teasing me I might just ave to go back to Portsmouth."

"Oh..." Carla said with an eyebrow raised, "So you're driving all the way back to Portsmouth in soaking wet jeans n a T-Shirt are you?"

"Maybe…" Peter nodded, still amused as he held his black jacket in hand although going home was the last thing that he wanted to do right now. "I reckon I've probably got a few spare clothes in the back of me car… I could wear them home."

"Yeah…" Carla nodded, walking towards Peter again. "You could do that…" She bit her lip slightly nervously and looked down at Peter's wet shoes before looking back at him properly and saying, "Or you could dry off at mine?"


	6. Photographs

_**Sorry it's been so long since I've updated this one.**_

 ** _Special thanks to those who left such kind reviews :)_**

 ** _Also I've changed my penname if you haven't noticed, It's now CarlaPeterLove and that's also where you can find me on twitter!_**

* * *

Even though he had done it about fifty five times already today, Peter still couldn't help but take a few moments to stop and think about how lucky he was right now.

There he was, stood in the rather luxurious and extremely clean bathroom of Carla Connor… or was it really Tilsley now?

He couldn't be sure.

He still didn't know if Carla and Nick were still married and if she had even changed her name.

The thought of Carla's name now being Carla Tilsley really burned Peter, deep down inside, it angered him... a lot but Peter knew better than to pay too much attention to that anger because he knew the reason that she wasn't called Carla Barlow anymore was all down to him.

Not that Carla's surname really mattered of course.

All Peter knew right now was whilst it was clear that Carla was still hurting over Nick, She had seemed to have moved on from him.

The short walk back to Carla's house was full of cheery chatter and laughter about the fact that they were getting some odd looks due to being soaking wet but as they approached the bright white house on the end of the street, Peter suddenly felt his heart begin to pound behind his wet T-Shirt.

Of course the offer Carla had made him to dry off at hers had been accepted right away and as she pulled her house keys out of her damp pocket, She smiled and said,

"D'ya reckon you've got some spare clothes in there then?" She nodded towards Peter's car as she spoke and then she opened the door to let Bailey in who darted right into the house.

Carla was left stood on her doorstep whilst Peter got his own keys out of his pocket and unlocked his car.

"I hope so." Peter said half laughing as he walked over to his car.

Carla didn't know what to do so she just lingered rather awkwardly in her doorway as Peter began to search his car.

As she watched, Carla noticed that Peter's car seemed to be full of all sorts of stuff, clothes, books and general items that you wouldn't normally find in the back of someone's car.

After ransacking the rather full boot of his car, Peter had found a pair of dark jeans and a black T-Shirt that seemed as if they would do, As he pulled them out he also grabbed an old pair of black boots and called over to Carla,

"Found some."

"Good." She said, smirking with a raised eyebrow as Peter approached her with his clothes in hand, He grinned back at her as she couldn't help but laugh and say, "Otherwise you would ave had to wear one of my slinky dressing gowns whilst you wait for your clothes to dry."

"Or I could ave just waited in me Birthday suit." Peter said with a cheeky wink.

Rather than respond, Carla just flashed Peter a suggestive smirk before walking into her house properly.

"Come on, get a wiggle on I'm freezing." She said as she walked, gesturing for Peter to follow her in.

After a good ten minutes splashing about in the water and then the five minute or so walk back to the house, both Carla and Peter were almost at the shivering state as they had approached her front door.

Peter took a deep breath as he walked and couldn't work out why he was so nervous to be going into Carla's home.

His best guess was because he knew that at one point this home he was entering was once going to be the home of Carla and Nick.

Peter also guessed he was feeling this way because at one point, Carla's home was his home.

Carla shut the door behind Peter and then, she bent down to unzip her boots and said to him,

"Just kick your shoes off ere if ya want." Peter nodded and used one foot to casually slide off one of his shoes, as he did so Carla picked up both of her boots and squinted at them closely.

Peter grinned as she inspected every inch of her shoes and knew he was in for a grilling.

"I'm sure they'll be fine…" He said as he kicked off his other shoe and as Carla took one last and very look at her wet boots.

"Hmmm… I think we'll wait for em to dry before we make that analysis shall we?" She said placing them both on the floor next to Peter's. "But if you've ruined em, you're well in for it." Carla added before pulling off her damp jacket, she then put her hand out for Peter's and said, " Give it ere, I'll hang it up in the kitchen."

Peter pulled his wet leather jacket of his shoulders and handed it to Carla. As she took it off him he noticed she had goosebumps running up and down both arms.

"I'm gonna wack the heatin on as well…" She said noticing how observant Peter was being. She then looked at the dry clothes Peter had in hand and nodded up the stairs that they were now stood in front of. "First door on the right is me bathroom… You can get changed in there if ya want."

"Thanks." Peter nodded, he hesitated but Carla walked down the hallway and into the kitchen that was ahead of her, as if she was one hundred percent comfortable with Peter being her house.

He desperately wanted to follow her because he was dying to see what her kitchen was like and everything else for that matter but he knew he should really get out of his wet clothes first.

He walked upstairs, trying to go quickly so his wet socks didn't make marks on Carla's carpet, leaving her downstairs in the kitchen.

She hung her and Peter's wet jackets over the side of one of her wooden dining room chairs and walked over to where her heating thermostat was to put on the heating, although she knew full well that the goosebumps on her arm weren't just due to the fact that she was cold.

Carla knew that there was another reason her arms had turned that way and it was because of the situation she had currently found herself in.

Peter… yes Peter Francis Barlow was currently in her house, the very same house that not even her own family had been inside of yet and not only that, right now he was probably in her house half naked.

Carla couldn't help but grin at the thought but then felt like a foolish teenager and stopped grinning even though she was the only person in the room other then Bailey of course.

He was stood in the corner, tired from his walk and currently having a long drink from his dog bowl which was kept in the corner next to his cosy bed.

Meanwhile Peter was still upstairs in Carla's bathroom and after getting out of his uncomfortable wet clothes and putting his dry ones on, he took a little bit of time to look around Carla's bathroom.

It was gleaming white, with all the usual stuff a bathroom had in it of course but it was the bath that Peter thought was truly amazing.

It was so big it almost took up one whole side of the room. It had Victorian style taps and chrome legs, which lifted it off the floor slightly and Carla had placed some candles around the side that was next to the wall, candles that looked as if they had been very well used.

Peter then looked at all of Carla's bath products which sat in a basket next to her bath and other than a few new ones, he was pleased to see that she still used most of the same stuff as she had done when they were together.

It was all Peter could do not to pick up the bottle of conditioner that Carla had left on the side of her bath and take a sniff of it because he had always adored the smell of it.

He went against this urge because he felt as if it might be slightly weird and as he picked up his wet clothes, yet again he couldn't believe that any of this was happening.

Never in his wildest dreams would he have dreamt that he would be stood in Carla's house and even though it was due to very platonic circumstances, he still counted his blessings.

He walked out of Carla's bathroom to see that down the hallway were two other rooms and the thought that one of those rooms was Carla's bedroom, made Peter ache even more than before because he now had the sad and lonely image of Carla being in there all alone in the early hours of this morning.

He'd had the thought of Carla waking up at three am in a state, in the back of his mind since she had told him about it on the beach and it made Peter feel incredibly upset to think of her going through such a tough time by herself..

Peter decided he couldn't take too much longer to get downstairs as he was sure Carla would start to wonder where he was.

He hated the idea of Carla thinking that he might be snooping but as he started to walk down to the kitchen he noticed that there were many pictures hanging on the wall which led back downstairs and a few of them had definitely caught Peter's eye.

The first one he stopped at was one of Carla and three people he instantly didn't recognise, Carla was sat amongst them and as Peter looked at the girl next to Carla with the dark hair and then at the man who had his arm around them both, he guessed that they might have been her new found family.

The next photo Peter stopped at was one of Carla and Hayley Cropper. It had been taken in The Rover's Return Pub one day and Carla and Hayley both looked so genuinely happy in the photo which looked as if it might have been taken at Christmas, that Peter couldn't help but smile broadly at it as he went down the next step.

The third photo was a picture of Carla and her friend Susie who lived in Los Angeles and it was one of them on a night out somewhere, both with large glasses of wine in their hands and both looking pretty stunning too.

It was the last photo that actually surprised Peter.

Not because of who was in it… It was only a picture of Carla with Michelle. They had their arms around each other in friendly embrace and they both looked ecstatic, Carla especially.

It was the actual occasion for the picture that stunned Peter.

That picture… the one he was staring at of Carla and Michelle had been taken by Peter himself… not only that but it was one he'd taken of them on none other than his and Carla's wedding day.

Yes, Carla was wearing her wedding dress in the photo and she looked completely and utterly radiant as she stood with her arms around Michelle's middle.

Peter's throat went dry as he stared at the picture of Carla and Michelle, besides the fact that seeing Carla look so beautiful in her wedding dress again even in photo form made Peter's heart almost slip a beat.

It also brought back so many regretful memories for Peter and he was amazed to see that she had chosen a picture like that to place on her wall… after all, even though it was a truly lovely photograph, he was surprised to see that Carla would have put something on her wall that was so reminiscent of that dreadful day when he ruined everything.

Peter eventually entered Carla's kitchen to find her stood leaning on a kitchen counter, which was placed alone in the middle of the room..

She had also changed her clothes and was now wearing a pair of blue skinny jeans with a black jumper, her damp hair was still hanging either side of her face and she was staring down at her phone and scrolling away as Peter gazed around the very large open plan kitchen and living room that Carla had.

She had three steps that led down to her living room where there was a large flat screen television on the wall and a grey sofa adorned with matching fluffy pillows in the middle.

In true Carla fashion there was a coffee table with countless magazines scattered on top and when he looked closer, Peter saw that Carla had put more pictures around the place. She even had a bookshelf full of em.

As he squinted his eyes to try and see what or who the photographs were off, He almost didn't hear Carla say,

"Chuck us your wet clothes then, I'll give em quick rinse with mine n then put em in the dryer."

The sound of Carla's voice startled Peter and as he spun around, she smiled at him in an amused fashion.

She didn't say anything however, she just walked with her hands out so Peter could hand over his wet clothes.

It was then, in that moment that Peter realised he was not only handing Carla his wet jeans and T-Shirt but he was also handing her a wet pair of boxer shorts.

Peter just grinned, not looking the least bit apologetic at Carla who raised an eyebrow slightly and walked over to the washing machine.

She didn't say anything again but couldn't help but return a grin to Peter as she bent down to put his clothes in the machine.

As she did so, she threw in his damp boxers, his still very wet T-shirt but she didn't put his jeans in straight away. She sat on her knees as she then shoved a hand into each pocket.

"Just checkin…" She said, which made Peter laugh out loud but also made his heart race at the same time because clearly Carla hadn't forgotten how bad he could be at remembering to empty his pockets before a wash and sure enough, as she pulled his left jean pocket inside out, Carla found a five pound note and half a packet of Spearmint Polo mints. "I knew it." She said smugly, shaking her head as she threw the jeans into the washing machine and shut the door.

"What can I say eh?" Peter chuckled sitting down on a stool that was one side of the kitchen counter, shaking his own head as Carla set the machine to rinse the clothes and then got up. "Old habits n all that."

"I guess some things never change eh?" Carla smiled reminiscently as she looked down at the mints she had in hand. They were ones that Peter always had on him and ones that at times, Carla was pretty notorious for stealing them off him.

Peter nodded slowly and smiled back at Carla but now she sighed a little wistfully and then said,

"I'm making a brew, do ya want one?"

"Yeah go on then." Peter nodded as Carla went and switched the kettle on. Peter took this opportunity to gaze around her kitchen some more as Carla gathered two mugs and as Bailey sunk down onto his cosy blue bed in the far corner of the room. "You've got a really nice place ere Carla." He eventually said, when he was done eyeing up all her fancy kitchenware, although he was sure a good majority of it must have come with the house because Carla was definitely not the culinary type.

"Thanks…" Carla said, nodding, "Although I can't take all the credit. The house was pretty much furnished when I arrived." She nodded towards the kitchenware that Peter had been looking at with a smirk knowing he'd been watching it all along.

"Still…" Peter said half laughing, "I like how you've made it your own… Like with all the pictures n stuff…" He trailed off. Half wanting to mention the one taken at their wedding on the stairs and half not because he knew how awkward it would be to do so.

"Well thank you." Carla nodded coyly, "It were dead weird at first… Getting used to not seeing the same faces all the time y'know but putting all the pictures about the place… it kinda helps y'know. Seeing Chelle n Johnny's faces when I come downstairs for me morning coffee… it comforts me a bit."

"Yeah…" Peter nodded understandingly but then he gave Carla an extremely cheeky grin and joked, "So tell me, what ave I got to do to get a picture up there eh?"

"Not a lot to be honest with ya" Carla said demurely but Peter was suddenly smiling back at her so affectionately that is was all she could do not to remove the ridiculous space that was between them.

She was stood at the kettle and as it finally boiled, she quickly turned away from Peter, glad that she had a moment to blush privately.

She was still amazed that after everything, Peter could have this pretty overwhelming effect on her and when she had made the cups of tea and turned to him, She still felt sheepish, even if she didn't show it.

"Thanks." Peter said, taking the hot mug of tea off Carla who had walked around the kitchen counter and handed it to him.

"You're welcome." She replied, putting her own mug down before going back to where all her food was kept, she pulled a packet of digestive biscuits out of the cupboard as Peter sipped his tea and asked,

"So go on then, tell me? Do you ave a job down ere or are you just a lady of leisure these days, spending your time walking your dog n eating amazing brownies down the local café?"

"Oh I…work…" Carla said mysteriously as she returned to the counter where Peter was sat. She smiled as she put the biscuits down next to the five-pound note and the mints, which she had placed there earlier.

"So you ave a job then?" Peter asked surprised, wondering what kind of work Carla could be doing in Devon.

"Oi!" She cried, wanting to reach over and give Peter a playful slap but not being able to because she was sat rather far away. "There's no need to sound so shocked y'know, I mean this is me ya talking to… Carla Connor also known as the Weatherfield Workaholic."

"I know..." Peter chuckled, nodding as Carla handed him the packet of digestive biscuits. "I mean I knew you must do something ere… as I said earlier the image of you in Devon was one I couldn't get me head around n that was mainly because I can't see you working anywhere other than the factory…" Carla nodded but then she looked sad at the mention of Underworld and Peter looked apologetic which she hated. "Do you miss em?" He asked delicately.

"Every day…" Carla nodded, "Although don't tell em that if ya see em." She grinned.

"Your secret's safe with me." Peter said tapping the side of his nose. "So where do you work then?" He asked, picking up his mug to take a sip of tea.

"No… Enough about me." Carla replied, shaking her head secretively. "Let's talk about you instead."

"Me?" Peter said with a laugh as he put his cup down on Carla's kitchen counter.

"Yeah. I mean all we've done today is talk about me and whilst I kinda relish being the centre of your undivided attention I think we should talk about you for a bit." Carla said endearingly.

"Alright… although I warn ya I'm still just as boring as I always was." Peter grinned.

"Peter Barlow you are many things… but boring aint one of them." Carla said, shaking her head at him with a little smile.

"I'll… take that as a compliment shall I?" Peter said amused, Carla nodded at him and waited patiently for him to say, "What do ya wanna know then?"

"Hmmm..." Carla said dipping her digestive biscuit into her tea. "Are you still working for that boat company?" Peter was about to ask Carla how she knew about the boat company he worked for but he had guessed it was because secrets were not kept well in Weatherfield so instead he just answered Carla with.

"Sort of."

"Sort of? What does sort of mean?" Carla asked picking up her cup of tea.

"Sort of means, they still employ me but let's just say I don't plan on staying there for much longer." Peter said vaguely.

"Why's that?" Carla asked, watching Peter in such a charming way that he couldn't help but be a little more honest and say,

"There's a lot of ridiculousness going on there at the moment that I'm not happy with and I might ave said a few words about it that me boss didn't quite like."

"Of course." Carla nodded, knowing that Peter Barlow not putting his opinion across was something that didn't happen very often. She watched him roll his eyes dramatically as she took a sip of tea, "Do I even wanna know more?" She asked with a smirk.

"No." Peter said shaking his head, Carla put her cup down onto the kitchen counter and laughed as Peter then said, "Anyways hopefully I'll be out of there soon."

"But then what would ya do with yourself every day?" Carla asked taking another biscuit out of the packet.

"Well…" Peter began quietly, "I'm… actually thinking of going back…"

"Back where?" Carla asked without thinking but by the look on Peter's face she could tell what he meant. "Oh… back… back."

"Yep." Peter nodded. "Back… back."

There was a silence between him and Carla for a moment, she silently dipped her biscuit into her cup of tea and bit into it gingerly.

It was a good minute or so before Carla eventually spoke.,

What she really wanted to say was that right now she didn't want Peter to be anywhere but where he was right now but of course, Carla didn't have the guts to actually say that to Peter, instead she just smiled at him and said,

"You'll Dad n Si will be pleased. Ave you told them yet?"

"No. I'm not gonna say anything until it's all set in stone, I mean just in case anything happens cause there's a few things I need to sort out, last thing I need is to be getting their hopes up n then letting em down again eh?" Peter had tried his hardest to sound casual but something about he what he had said and the way he had said it sounded a little off beat to Carla.

She also saw the look on Peter's face as he spoke. He looked regretful, slightly ashamed and as if he really wanted to make sure that he didn't want to let down anyone else ever again.

"Oh I'm sure you won't do that…" Carla said and she spoke in a way that made Peter feel as if she was being truly honest with him. "I'm… glad you're going back?" Carla then said because a part of her really was and this part intrigued Peter a little.

"Are you really?" He asked slightly suspiciously, watching Carla closely who nodded and said,

"Yeah because you going back means I'm a woman of me word, after all, I told Simon you'd be back one day didn't I?"

"You sure did." Peter nodded with a reminiscent smile.

He thought back to that long ago conversation on the bench outside Audrey's salon and he remembered how even though the conversation had been a pretty light hearted one, he had felt so incredibly sad because he genuinely couldn't believe that he and Carla were over.

"It feels like just yesterday don't it." Carla said sighing slightly, showing Peter that she was on the same wavelength as him.

"Yeah it really does…" Peter said, trying his absolutely hardest to remain cheery and relaxed about things even though he could almost be near to tears. "I was such a different bloke back then, I know it probably don't see like it but I am…" Peter looked at Carla to try and suss out if she believed him or not but he soon found out as she smiled at him fondly for a moment.

It was such a sincere and soft smile, almost drove Peter crazy because he was waiting for Carla to speak.

"You are different…" She began, "but also… you're somehow… exactly the same." Peter looked confused, not quite sure what to say to this but Carla laughed at him and said, "Like you're still you but slightly… mature if you exclude your rather ridiculous ridiculous behaviour on the beach that is." Carla grinned, "I mean I really feel as if the time you've spent away from your family has changed you."

"Wow…" Peter smiled feeling a little more at ease now Carla had explained, "I don't reckon I've ever been called mature if me life."

"Oh don't get too excited, I only said slightly mature." Carla said with a smirk, she took another sip of tea before she felt brave enough to say, "and you've stayed sober all that time as well?" She had been avoiding this subject all day because she didn't want Peter to feel as if she was being too intrusive but at this point, Carla knew it would be okay.

"Yes." Peter answered instantly and truthfully. "I've been sober for one year, eleven months… I could even tell you the days n minutes of you wanted me to."

"Oh I know you could." Carla replied, "It's good to hear though Peter, Really good actually."

"Thanks." Peter nodded appreciatively, "N that's actually another reason I'm thinking of heading back to good old Weatherfield. The drinkin, well that was main reason I left wasn't it. I went to clear me head because I felt as if I couldn't stay but now… well now things are different..." He trailed off knowing that the main reason he left Weatherfield was because he felt as if he couldn't be around Carla.

It wasn't her fault of course, He didn't blame her at all. Peter just felt that if he couldn't live in Weatherfield with Carla… he couldn't live in Weatherfield without her.

Now if Peter was being totally honest, he could have returned home to Weatherfield a long time ago but he didn't and once again the reason he didn't was because of Carla.

Peter knew there was no way he could return to Weatherfield whilst Carla and Nick were together.

Even though they'd been apart for years Peter knew that he could never cope with having to watch Carla and Nick be a couple but once he had heard that they were going to leave, he had started thinking maybe it was time for him to return home.

"You're right." Carla sighed, lifting her teacup to her lips to take a sip, "Things are so different."

The atmosphere between Carla and Peter was dynamic as they continued to drink their drinks companionably.

Carla asked Peter a bit more about when he planned to go back up north and then they went on to talking about random other subjects but there was a question that Carla had been dying to ask Peter for a long while now and after finishing her cup of tea and after a long conversation about Simon, Carla finally found the nerve.

"Can I ask you somethin?" She asked, leaning forward to reach for the polo packet that she had placed on the kitchen counter earlier.

"You just did." Peter replied with a smirk.

"Can I ask ya something else then?" Carla grinned as she opened the half packet of mints.

"I dunno… can ya?" Peter replied which made Carla roll her eyes and say,

"Seriously Peter…" She said, tutting, "I wanna know…" She pulled a mint from the packet which then made Peter let out a silent laugh because whilst they had been talking about how much had changed, some things had definitely stayed the same and here Carla was again, stealing his mints.

"You wanna know what?" Peter asked as Carla popped the little white mint into her mouth with a grin.

"I wanna know…" Carla began, casually using her tongue to fiddle with the mint in her mouth and leaving Peter not only in suspense but also feeling ridiculously jealous of a silly little mint. "What does your girlfriend think of this little visit you've made to Devon?"


	7. Words

"Girlfriend?" Peter asked, slightly taken aback with his eyebrows furrowed together as an almost nervous Carla stared at him intently.

"Yeah…" She said taking a deep breath, acting as if she actually wanted to know about Peter's girlfriend when really, deep down inside, the thought of another woman in Peter's life still made her feel sick to the stomach.

It was a feeling that she had felt many, many times before and as she sat before him, Carla tried not to let Peter know just how wounded she still felt when thinking of him with someone else.

"N who told you I had a girlfriend?" Peter asked, he knew it must have been someone in Weatherfield but didn't know just who it was that had spilt the beans.

"Si told Leanne… Leanne told Eva… Eva told… everyone." Carla grinned, she knew Peter was slightly stunned by her question and waited with bated breath to see what he would say next... even though it had been years since they had been together and it really had nothing to do with her, Carla was very intrigued to hear more about the woman who had technically replaced her.

"Of course she did..." Peter nodded, not at all surprised to hear that Eva Price was the one to spread the news on his girlfriend, after all she was hardly known for biting her tongue. He sighed a little, hating the thought of people gossiping about him and hating that Carla had heard it too.

"So…" She said curiously, "Does this girlfriend of yours know you're ere then?" Carla instantly regretted the rather bossy way that she had asked this question because she knew it seemed as if she thought Peter was keeping secrets from someone he was with again and she really didn't want him to think that she was trying to be judgemental.

"No… She doesn't…" Peter began with an eyebrow raised, He watched Carla closely for her reaction. She looked slightly disappointed as she nodded slowly at him and it was then that Peter just had to clear things up and say, "She doesn't know I'm ere because we're not actually together anymore."

"You're not?" Carla said instantly and for a moment, Peter could swear he saw the hint of a smile creep onto her surprised face. There was a pause before she eventually spoke again. "When… did that happen then?" She asked, feeling pretty foolish for even bringing the subject up now, although the sudden news that Peter didn't have a girlfriend anymore secretly pleased her.

As selfish as it was, Carla was glad Peter was a single man and that she could enjoy these electrifying moments that they were both having together guilt free as she had really hated the idea of sharing such intimate moments with him if he had a woman waiting for him in Portsmouth.

"A few months back actually." Peter said, unable to not smile at Carla as she went to take another mint from his packet. She had a thousand questions that she wanted to ask him about why he wasn't with his girlfriend anymore but she kept quiet and just put another mint in her mouth. "What?" Peter asked watching Carla who was also watching him in the same way.

"Nothing…" She said shaking her head slowly, her lips still had a hint of a smile and as she bit into the mint, she asked, "So what happened then?"

"It just didn't work out… I mean don't get me wrong Sharon was great…" Peter began quietly, "We were together for almost a year, it was fun…"

"But?" Carla asked, not taking her eyes off Peter for one second because something about the look on his face said he was going to say something truly profound.

"Honestly…" He sighed nervously, taking a moment because what he was about to say really was the absolute truth and he hoped that it would mean a lot to Carla because he really meant it... every single word.

"Yeah…" She nodded at him quickly and bit her lip as Peter then put his head on one side and said,

"A year with Sharon… didn't even come close to a single day with… you."

Silence.

That was what came next.

Peter's heartfelt words echoed around Carla's mind for a few moments and now she could practically hear her own heart beat because it was pounding so hard underneath her T-Shirt.

Suddenly the distance between the pair begged to be closed and Carla and Peter both had to fight not to give into the urge they had to take hold of each other.

Still unable to work out exactly how Peter had her feeling in such an overwhelming way, Carla eventually took a deep breath and watched as Peter smiled warmly at her.

"Wow…" She eventually said, almost whispering in fact. She really wanted to say so much more... do so much more but she just couldn't seem to get the words out for some reason or move for that matter and this was mainly due to the way Peter was still staring at her.

"I know it probably sounds… stupid." Peter said nervously, deciding that if Carla wasn't going to speak then he would. "I mean I am painfully aware of how much I screwed things up between us n don't get me wrong I realise I'm lucky that Sharon even gave a fool like me the time of day but… I guess If I'm really being honest, I don't want fun anymore. I want something more n Yeah I know I'm never going to get someone who makes me feel anywhere near the way that you do…" Peter stopped for a moment because he had tears in his brown eyes as he spoke and he wasn't the only one who was almost crying.

Whether it was the look on Peter's face or the way he had used the present tense when speaking about the way he felt about her, Carla simply couldn't stop a tear from running down her cheek.

Of all the reasons Carla had to cry today… she had never expected such moving words from Peter to be one of them.

Carla sniffed hard at the very same time that Peter did and the sudden sound of silence came back to the kitchen quicker than either of them had expected.

"You said you wanted me to be honest…" Peter eventually said, fighting back the tears better then Carla had managed to do.

"Yeah…" She let out a laugh and nodded, not sure of what to say next but luckily for Carla the intense atmosphere was saved as a beeping sound came from her washing machine to show that the rinse she had put on had finished.

Still slightly speechless, Carla jumped off the stool she had been sat on and walked over to her washing machine.

She still had tears in her eyes as she opened it and she silently pulled out her and Peter's wet clothes.

This simple act of removing wet clothes from a washing machine shouldn't have made things worse but for a moment, it did because for a few seconds Carla imagined she and Peter were just a normal couple, that it was a normal day and that she was doing their washing.

Carla almost felt like crying properly then but then with Peter's boxer shorts in hand, she moved over to her dryer and she laughed to herself as she turned to face him.

"What?" Peter asked, seeing the amused look on Carla's face and wondering how on earth she had managed to cheer up when he was still feeling distraught.

"Does... this mean you're sitting there on me kitchen stool with no underwear on?" She asked with an eyebrow raised, glad to have a happier topic of conversation because a minute ago she was close to bawling like a baby in front of Peter and that was something that she really really wanted to avoid.

She wasn't ready to cry in front of him again… not yet at least.

Peter's confused expression instantly transformed into a grin as he nodded rather sheepishly.

Carla nodded back at him in an entertained fashion and quickly put all of their wet clothes into her dryer before she could say anything else. She then stood up and collected both of their empty mugs and took them over to her dishwasher, unable to get rid of the smile that she had plastered on her face right now.

Carla knew it was slightly childish to be thinking about the fact that Peter was sitting in her kitchen with no underwear on but she simply couldn't get the image of it out of her head. After putting the two white mugs into her dishwasher and trying to shake off the ridiculous smile off her face, Carla walked back over to the kitchen counter.

She didn't sit on the stool that was on the other side of Peter like she had done before, instead she was now stood right in front of him which made his heart begin to race uncontrollably.

"What?" Peter asked because Carla was watching him in a way that didn't help how fast his heart had begun to beat. She decided to be honest and smirked as she said,

"I just… can't believe you're sat ere in my kitchen goin commando." She leant against her kitchen counter as Peter chuckled at her and asked,

"So you're still thinking about that huh?" Carla rolled her eyes at him and gave him a gentle push before looking at Bailey who had fallen asleep in his bed, Peter followed her gaze and smiled as he looked at the slumbering dog, as much as he relished the humours and alluring effect he was having on Carla, Peter decided to change the subject a little and say, "I still can't believe you ave a puppy… He is so lovely."

"I know." Carla said, lovingly, she then looked at Peter and said, "I never imagined I'd feel this way about an animal... I've always hated the idea of Pets but I really do love him…"

"I guess I'm not the only one who has changed a bit then." Peter replied fondly. Carla nodded slowly at him and then came the sudden sound of a phone buzzing on the counter.

Carla and Peter both turned around to see that it was Peter's phone that was ringing, he reached over for it and saw that it was his Dad, he smiled at Carla apologetically for having to answer it and said,

"Hi Dad…" Carla watched as Peter continued talking to his Dad, suddenly feeling a little bit sad because she had always adored Ken and she suddenly wanted to hear the sound of his calm and gentle voice. "Yeah I'm fine thanks… how are you…" Carla then couldn't help but wonder if Peter was going to tell his Dad where he currently was or keep it a secret, she wouldn't blame him if he pretended he was still in Portsmouth because at least he wouldn't have to explain why he was in Devon and answer a load of inevitable questions.

It wasn't long before Carla found out what Peter was going to do because Peter then said,

"Okay, when I get home that's the first thing I'll do… No I'm not at work… I'm actually in Devon right now…" Peter raised an eyebrow at Carla who leant forward to see if she could hear what Ken said,

"Devon?..." There was a pause as Ken obviously thought about things for a moment. Peter moved the phone slightly so Carla could hear a bit more. "When you say Devon do you mean that you're... with Carla?" Ken eventually said.

"Well not with _with_ Carla…" Peter began awkwardly with a smile, "But yeah, I'm with her... right now actually... "

"Hi Ken." Carla said cheerily, leaning even further forwards and speaking loudly so Ken would be able to hear her.

"Hello Carla…" said an obviously stunned Ken.

In the end Peter put his Dad on loudspeaker so he and Carla could speak to him at the same time. Ken asked Carla how she was and she returned the question and after a few more minutes of comfortable chit chat they all finally said goodbye each other.

"Ahhh that was so nice." Carla said bitter-sweetly, hearing Ken's voice again had somehow made her feel both happy and sad.

"Yeah… it was." Peter nodded, he and Carla were now stood directly next to each other, sides touching because they'd practically huddled up close to talk into the phone.

They were almost as close as they had been when they were stood knee deep in the sea and for a moment there was another unmistakable silence.

Peter breathed out gently as he looked at Carla longingly but she wasn't actually looking at him anymore. Instead she was staring up at the clock and realising that it was almost half past five.

It was around one pm when Carla and Peter had first ran into each other again and even though at times today had seemed to have flown by, Carla had also felt as if today had been going ever so slowly.

The reality of what today's date really was kept creeping back into Carla's mind and even though, Peter was a very good distraction, every so often Carla couldn't help but let thoughts of Frank Foster enters her mind once again.

"Are you really going to not tell me where you work?" Peter asked, drawing Carla's attention back to him rather than the horrible reason why today could have gone a lot differently.

It was then that Carla realised once again just how close she and Peter were stood again and for a moment, she just lingered in front of him quietly but then she grinned mysteriously and shook her head as she stopped leaning on the kitchen counter and said,

"Nope… I'm gonna show you instead." Peter watched, utterly transfixed as Carla began to walk away from him as if she was going to leave the kitchen but she stopped as she got to the door and said, "I'm gonna go n get changed... then we'll go okay?"

"Okay." Peter nodded as Carla began to walk out of the kitchen, he watched her walk towards the bottom to her stairs and as she did so, he heard her voice say,

"Help your self to anything by the way… you can go in the living room n watch the telly if ya want."

For a while, Peter lingered in the kitchen, not really knowing what he should to do next.

He wasn't sure that he really wanted to go and sit in Carla's living room on his own because he would probably end up getting lost in imagining the future they could have had together but after ten minutes or so in the kitchen, he realised he was doing that anyway so he decided that maybe a little bit of television might distract him for a while.

He went and sat down on her very comfortable sofa and turned on the Television, mentally running through all the possible places where Carla might work, he honestly had no idea but since it was now the evening he guessed that she might work in a bar or restaurant type of place... that would make sense after all, especially since she was supposed to be moving to Devon with Nick.

After flipping through an endless amount of channels, Peter eventually settled on an old episode of The Simpsons, deciding that he'd definitely need some laughter to get the image of Carla and Nick running their own business together.

Meanwhile, Upstairs in her bedroom, Carla sat on her bed and tried to figure out exactly where tonight was headed.

She had just stood and said she'd take Peter to work with her and whilst she still wanted to do so, it made Carla feel slightly odd to think out of everyone from Manchester, he was the first person who'd get to see her new business.

She had always assumed it would be Michelle who'd see it first, or Johnny, Kate or Aidan… Carla had never dreamed it would have been Peter Barlow who she'd be walking into work with tonight.

Carla caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and even though her long hair was now dry, it was still a bit of a mess. It was no longer dead straight like it head been in the morning and was curling at the ends, so much so that Carla went and got her hair straighteners and decided to give her hair a quick straighten before she got dressed and put on a bit of make up.

It was six fifteen when Carla finally appeared in the living room again. Peter felt like waiting for her, amongst all of her stuff was pure torture and he was actually starting to get a little bit annoyed about it but when Carla eventually walked in, he could do nothing but smile at her.

She was wearing a short black a line skirt with some see through black tights underneath it and she had tucked a smart white shirt into her skirt. Her newly straightened hair hung either side of her face as she smiled at Peter and said,

"Sorry it took so long..." She walked over to the sofa where he was sat and stopped in front of him as she put in her hooped earrings and said, "Salt water does not agree with my hair at all."

"You... look… good." Peter eventually said, although that was an understatement and he definitely thought that Carla looked more than good. "Amazing actually." He then added as Carla gingerly sat down on the sofa next to him.

"Thanks…" She smiled, she then looked over at what Peter was watching on telly and shook her head, "And there I was earlier… calling you mature."

"Eh? I'll ave you know that The Simpsons is for people of all ages." Peter replied pretending to be offended, Carla laughed silently and for a moment she and Peter both sat together on the sofa in silence.

Even though they were silent, they were both thinking the same thing… they were both thinking how normal this felt.

Even after their painful past... sitting on a sofa together and chit chatting about the most random things somehow felt like an everyday occurrence for Carla and Peter and so they sat there until the old Simpsons episode finished.

"Right, you ready to go?" Carla asked, nudging Peter in the side gently.

"Yeah…" Peter nodded although he didn't look too sure as he looked down at his outfit as Carla stood up. "I spose so."

"You spose so?" Carla scoffed, "N what does that mean exactly?"

"Well…" Peter grinned, looking Carla up and down one more time and making her blush slightly, "I'm just wondering if I might look a bit shabby compared to you that's all…"

"Shabby?" Carla laughed as Peter stood up too. She slowly looked him up and down and whilst he was only dressed in a pair of simple blue jeans and a black T-Shirt, she still smiled at him and truthfully said, "Peter you look absolutely fine… Promise." She watched Peter grin and look down at his jeans again before she added, "We're not headed to the ritz y'know."

"Yeah well in that case why did you get changed then?" Peter asked as Carla ran a hand through her long hair.

"Because I'm the boss, I ave to look decent n make a good impression on the customers that's why." Carla replied, looking at the clock, which hung next to one of her bookshelves.

"Oh you look more than decent." Peter said, taking another opportunity to look at Carla and her outfit, She raised an eyebrow when she caught him looking at her but didn't say anything, so Peter spoke instead and added, "Alright… let's go… I spose with you in the room no one is going to be looking at me anyways."

"Oh I wouldn't be too sure about that if I were you…" Carla grinned as she walked into the kitchen to pick up her mobile phone and her car keys.

"Why?" Peter asked slightly nervously as Carla bent down and gave Bailey a goodbye stroke.

"No reason..." Carla began, grinning as she returned to her feet, Peter didn't look quite convinced and put his head on one side which made Carla laugh once more and say, "Let's just say I reckon there's gonna be quite a few people looking your way tonight."


	8. The Southern Star

After delving into his car and finding a black jacket to put on, Peter got into Carla's car with her and then she began to drive.

She continued to keep Peter guessing the entire journey and the best and most realistic option he could come up with was that she worked somewhere like a bar or a restaurant.

He'd guessed this way because it was almost seven pm and that no shop or factory would really be open at this time.

Peter had guessed right.

Carla parked her car in one of the car parks in town where it seemed a lot busier than it had been before and after a quick minute or so walk, she and Peter were stood outside a building which was painted black and silver.

"This is it." Carla said, standing proudly and yet somehow sheepishly in front of what looked like a restaurant and bar.

Peter looked through the windows of the building and saw that there were lots of happy people sat at tables and tucking in to many things to eat. Even though it was a Monday night the room was rather full and he couldn't help but smile at Carla as he said,

"This is where you work?"

"Yep." Carla nodded, looking even proud as she stood before a slightly taken aback Peter.

"Nice name." He grinned nodding up at the sign which said, _The Southern Star_

"Yes well I can't actually take credit for that one cause it was called that when I got ere…" Carla grinned, "I kinda like it though… Sounds all mystical n stuff." Peter smiled warmly at the look on Carla's face as she stared up at the sign herself.

She began explaining how she'd bought the place off a couple who were moving to London but then she looked back at Peter and suddenly stopped talking because he was staring at her so lovingly.

At the risk of something else slightly inappropriate happening, Carla reached out and took hold of Peter's sleeve as she said,

"Come on then, Let's go in." She pulled him towards the entrance and as they walked inside The Southern Star, Peter chuckled out loud and said,

"Alright!"

In one corner of the vast restaurant started a long and swanky bar which ran from each room to the other. It had black and silver stools running along it and behind it there were several people mixing cocktails and serving drinks to happy customers.

"Hiya Ian..." Carla called, nodding towards a middle aged man who was stood by the entrance, he was dressed all in black but had a silver tie on and he smiled at Carla as she walked up to him. "This is Peter." Carla said, pointing at Peter and smiling.

"Hi Peter." Ian said with a nod, "Hi Miss Connor." Peter tried not to grin foolishly when he heard Carla get called Miss Connor instead of Mrs Tilsley and he practically beamed at Ian as he shook his hand and said,

"Hi Ian, nice to meet you."

"You too." Ian nodded, "How are ya Miss Connor?"

"I'm… fine." She said as she looked back at Ian, "How's everything in ere tonight?" Carla then asked, bending forwards so she could take a look at Ian's clipboard where he had all the bookings for this evening written down.

"Perfect." Ian said with a nod, "Got a lot of solid bookings for the night and the Taylor party have arrived… they are in very good spirits."

"Good." Carla nodded back at Ian in a friendly manner, she looked down at the rose gold watch she was wearing on her wrist and then quickly said to Peter who had been watching her, "Come on then…"

Peter stared at his surroundings as he began to follow Carla through what was very clearly her restaurant. She took the time to introduce him to all of her staff and when she did she simply said,

"This is Peter..." Carla smiled each time she spoke his name, which made Peter feel immensely pleased because it genuinely seemed like she was happy to have him around.

After introducing Peter to pretty much everyone, Carla said she was going to put her bag, coat and car keys in her office and left him alone to take in more of his new surroundings.

In another corner of the very large room, there was an empty space, which Peter guessed could be used as a dance floor because there was also a sound system and a potential space where a DJ could possibly stand if needed.

"Thursdays, Fridays n Saturdays." Carla said, watching Peter who was looking at the dance floor in awe. "That's when it's busiest ere… we ave a DJ n everything."

"It love it…" Peter said, turning and looking at all the wooden tables, some were empty and some were full of customers who were in the middle of eating, there was also some music playing loudly enough for everyone to hear but not so loud it made it so that they couldn't have conversations. "It's fantastic in ere Carla… it really is."

"Thanks…" Carla said looking proud again, "It were a right quiet n calm place when I first got ere... way too much like the Bistro…" Carla paused as she said the word Bistro and then shook her head as she then said, "Anyway I asked the staff for some ideas of what they thought would liven the place up a bit n ere we are..."

There was one particular table right in the middle of the restaurant that was very lively, it was full of women who were all wearing different coloured feather boas around their necks. Carla grinned as she began to approach the table and as Peter followed her, he realised the table that they were walking towards was a hen party.

"Evenin ladies." Carla beamed with her hands on her hips as she reached the table, which must have had a least ten, or so women sat at it. Lots of the women smiled at Carla and said very loud and friendly _hellos_ before she got to ask them, "Is everything okay with your meal tonight?"

"Well we're all still on our starters but it's lovely so far thank you." Said one woman who was wearing an L plate on her back. Peter guessed that she was the bride, She was a small, blonde lady who seemed slightly sheepish about the whole event although the rest of her party didn't act shy about things at all, in fact a few of them were already eying Peter up and down and one particular red headed woman grinned widely at Carla with raised eyebrows as she said,

"Who's this then Carla…?" All the women at the table turned to look at Peter who smiled at them charmingly and as a few of the tipsy women wolf whistled at him, Carla raised an eyebrow back at the red head and said,

"This is Peter… he's… an old friend." Peter waved at the table of women ahead of him, which earned even more wolf whistles.

"An old friend?" Said another woman who had brown curly hair and a large glass of wine in her hand, she giggled and then said to the woman sitting next to her, "I wouldn't mind an old friend like him eh?" The table erupted with laughter again as Carla shook her head at them and said,

"Well… I'm glad you're all aving a good time so far, I'm just gonna be over by the bar if you need me, Okay?"

"Okay." Said The Bride who smiled at Carla warmly, clearly excited about the night she had ahead and about her upcoming wedding too.

"So is there anything I can help you with before I leave you to it?" Carla asked with her head on one side. The brown curly haired woman laughed out loud as another one shouted out,

"Don't suppose you've got us a stripper?" There was another chorus of laughter as the Bride rolled her eyes at her very loud and enthusiastic friends. Peter was sure that Carla was going to laugh too and she did at first but then she began speaking,

"Oh I'm afraid not ladies…" Carla's green eyes practically sparkled as they swivelled in the direction of Peter. She grinned at him wickedly and then said, "Unless… Peter wants to help out of course… " This of course made all the eager women who were sat at the table collapse with laughter again. Carla nudged Peter in the side playfully and then enticingly said, "Well?"

"Ahhh… I'm sorry ladies…" Peter began, shrugging his shoulders apologetically and shaking his head at an amused Carla before turning his attention to the ten women who were watching him excitedly, "My stripping days are well behind me I'm afraid…"

"Rubbish." Said one woman shaking her head, "I reckon you've still got loads of stripping days in you."

"No no, you've caught me a few days after retirement…" Peter joked, "Besides, it wouldn't be fair on the other customers..." The women watching Peter all let out a disappointed moan as Carla looked him up and down in a way that almost drove him crazy, she didn't say anything however but her look was enough to make Peter stare back at her.

"Oh go on… just give us a private show…" Said the oldest woman at the table who just so happened to be the brides Mother. Peter went to graciously say no once again but then Carla laughed out loud and said,

"Yeah go on Peter… give us a private dance… y'know you want to"

There were many... many things that Peter could think of to say as he looked at a very entertained Carla.

Most of the things he could think to say to her were rather dirty things and as she stood in front of him, smirking in a way that almost made him quiver, their gaze was suddenly interrupted by a member of Carla's staff who tapped her on the shoulder with the company phone in hand.

"Agh, I ave to take this…" Carla said, looking apologetically at the Hen party, "But keep working on this one… He might weaken…" She pointed at Peter, poking him playfully on the arm and grinning before she said, "He's secretly dying to get his kit off in public one last time…" Carla then bent down to the tables level and whispered, "He's not wearing any under wear after all..." She then stood up quickly and winked Peter before taking the phone off her employee and saying, "Carla Connor speakin..."

Even though he was slightly mortified, Peter couldn't help but laugh at what Carla had just said and as she walked towards a door which obviously led to her office it meant that Peter was left alone with a table full of women who knew that he wasn't wearing any underwear.

* * *

Ten minutes had gone by by the time Carla had returned to the restaurant. She laughed when she looked at the Hen party table because Peter was now wearing a bright pink feather boa around his neck and someone had also pulled up a chair so he was now sitting directly next to the bride.

Carla walked up to the very full table and grinned as she placed a hand on each of Peter's shoulders and said,

"You guys don't mind if I borrow Peter for a while do ya?" Peter didn't even give the women at the table a chance to answer Carla. He practically jumped up from the chair he was sat on and waved goodbye to the women as he said,

"Goodbye Ladies." The excited and now very tipsy women had all started on their meals at this point so they reluctantly waved goodbye to Peter as he stood in front of Carla. She raised an eyebrow at him and pointed over to a quiet table in one corner of the restaurant.

"You hungry?" Carla asked as she and Peter walked over to the table, he was still wearing the bright pink feather boa and made Carla laugh again as they sat down at the table she'd had got prepared for them.

"Starvin..." Peter nodded, sitting down on one of the chairs, he couldn't help but notice that Carla had looked at her watch again as she tucked in her chair.

"Well it's a good thing I've asked my chef to whip us something up to eat then ain't it?" She nodded, smiling at Peter as she leant forward and plucked at the feather boa he was wearing. He laughed sheepishly as he quickly whipped it off and then said,

"Ohhh your chef eh? How fancy."

"Well owning the place does ave it's benefits." Carla preened as Peter practically threw the feathered boa towards her. She laughed out loud as she caught it expertly and placed it on her lap. Peter chuckled and leant forward as he said,

"Honestly…" He turned to look at the hen party table and shook his head as he looked back at Carla and said, "Who has a hen do on a Monday?"

"Errr someone who is flying to Paris tomorrow…" Carla explained, "The Bride's aving a proper Hen Do out there but some of her friends n family couldn't make it to Paris hence why they are in ere tonight."

"Ohhhh…. I see." Peter nodded slowly, "That makes sense I spose... I was talking to the bride's mother… she's the one in the red." Peter said, pointing over at the lady who was wearing a red dress and jacket, she must have been in her sixties and Peter grinned as he then said, "I don't reckon she's going to be clubbing the night away in Paris do you?"

"Ahh…" Carla nodded with a smirk, "Well I wouldn't be too sure about that Peter, I mean I got Gail Platt in a nightclub on my hen night so anything could happen."

"What? Are you being serious?" Peter asked, clearly amazed by this news that Gail had actually gone out on Carla's hen night and at first she was happy to divulge more information.

"Dead serious..." Carla said, trying not to laugh herself because she knew that it was a rather ridiculous image. "We actually hijacked the DJ booth at one point… I think I called myself MC Underworld…" Carla shook her head a little in a cringed out fashion as Peter laughed and said,

"Ohhh I would ave paid good money to see that." Peter was thoroughly enjoying the reminiscent look on Carla's face as she spoke and continued to smile as she carried on talking.

"It was pretty hilarious… The security guy got narked at us n actually phoned the police… Gail thought they were strippers so she started man handling em all… long story short we got arrested n all of our men had to come n collect us from the police station." Carla explained, raising both eyebrows and shaking her head still in disbelief that all of that even happened.

"Sounds like a good night." Peter said because he genuinely thought so.

"It was…" Carla began, still laughing at first but then remembering how it had gone when she and Nick had got home, she remembered the way he had treated and spoke to her and it made the smile suddenly disappear off Carla's face within an instant.

Peter saw the look she had on her face now and it was so drastically different to the one she'd had seconds ago, that he knew she was now thinking about Nick. She shuffled about in her seat and looked down at her watch again which showed that it was half past seven pm... Carla took a deep breath as the atmosphere between her and Peter had very suddenly become intense.

He cleared his throat awkwardly and desperately racked his brain for something useful to say, wishing he knew where to start and how to begin to tell Carla he knew exactly why she was clock watching.

"I'm gonna go n get us some drinks from the bar…" Carla said quietly and she quickly got up off the chair and made her way over to the bar area so that she didn't have to endure too much of the horrible energy that had taken over the table she and Peter were sat at.

She ordered Peter a lemonade and originally she'd ordered herself a very large glass of wine but when she looked back at Peter she realised that she simply couldn't drink it in front of him.

He smiled at Carla warmly even though he felt like an idiot for making her think about Nick and also for not realising why she had been looking at her watch so much earlier... It wasn't just her watch Carla was looking at either, He had realised that Carla had been looking at the time all day.

She smiled back at Peter from the bar, not knowing what was going through his mind but thinking about how long he had been sober for and how hard it must have been, for this reason Carla just couldn't seem to take a glass of wine back to the table… Even though she could really do with one right now.

Instead she ordered another Lemonade and when she brought the two non-alcoholic drinks over to the table. Peter put his head on one side and said,

"You really didn't ave to order a Lemonade y'know."

"I know…" Carla said with a nod, she picked up the feathery boa that she'd left on the chair as she sat back down on the chair opposite him.

"Okay... I ave to say…" Peter began, I'm really… pleased."

"Pleased?" Carla repeated slowly, she watched Peter for a moment who smiled at her for about the a thousandth time that day and said,

"Yeah… I'm pleased to see how settled you are here." Peter said, "I mean anyone else would ave crumbled… moving to a brand new town and starting a brand new business… but not you…" Carla smiled modestly at Peter, not knowing what else to say to him which was good because he continued and said, "I'm not surprised though… I mean you've always been one of the strongest people I know..."

"Thanks Peter…" Carla replied, she was still smiling at him coyly but then her smile faded as she said, "Although If I'm honest I weren't feeling so strong last night… or this morning for that matter…" she couldn't help but glance down at her watch again during the small silence and Peter couldn't help but lean forwards slightly and say,

"It was just after eight o clock wasn't it?"

"What?" Carla replied, looking up at him with wide eyes as he lowered his voice a little and said,

"You know what." He pointed down to Carla's watch which showed her he understood and as she nodded slowly he said, "I'm here..."

"I know." Carla replied quietly, she took a deep breath to stay calm as she knew she couldn't lose control in her new place of work. She smiled at Peter softly and said, "and Thanks... for being here..."

"You're welcome…" Peter said, he took his own deep breath this time and bit his lip before he said, "Tell me to mind me own business but… Did you… ave the nightmare last night?"

With tears in her eyes... Carla nodded at Peter slowly. She was genuinely moved but not at all surprised that he had remembered about the nightmare that she always seemed to have this time of year. The previous years... the ones that he had been there for, He'd always made sure he stayed up with Carla as late as possible and he had always found it difficult to sleep himself, knowing that Carla could have this nightmare at any given moment.

Peter wondered if Nick knew about the nightmare and Peter wondered what Nick did about it if he did.

"I knew I would ave it…" Carla began, "I always do don't I? I dunno, somehow... it still came as a surprise though... Like I guess I never stop hoping that the last nightmare I had... will actually be the last..." Carla shivered as she spoke and as she absentmindedly rested a hand on the table in front of her, Peter gently reached out and took hold of it.

He didn't quite know what to say at this point just that it truly pained him to hear that Carla really was having the same nightmare that she got for the first time five years ago.

"It's okay…" Carla said, knowing that Peter was finding it a little difficult to know what to say at this point. "I think I should be more than used to it by now..."

"No." Peter said, shaking his head adamantly and giving Carla's hand a little squeeze, "No one should ave to get used to something like that... No one."

Carla didn't speak... She just gave Peter a sad smile and shrugged as if to say, _That's life_ and for a moment they sat in another silence.

Peter saw Carla's eyes glance in the direction of her watch again even though she tried really hard not to look. He shook his head slowly before gently taking hold of her wrist and starting to un do her posh watch.

"Oi…" Carla began but she knew full well what Peter was doing right now and it was so sweet that made her smile as he softly said,

"No more clock watching…" He tenderly removed the watch from Carla's wrist and slipped it into his pocket before saying, "I'll give it back to you when you get home, okay." He had placed his hand back onto Carla's as she nodded at him and said a very heartfelt,

"Okay."

A good few moments went by before Carla and Peter both realised that they were actually sat holding hands and it took all the strength that they inside them not to grin idiotically at their current situation. Another serene couple of seconds went by before a waiter came along with two steaming hot plates full of food and as he stopped in front of Carla and Peter's table, he smirked at their joined hands.

"Ahhh…" Carla said softly, letting go of Peter's hand gently and smiling at the waiter who was stood next to the table. "Thank you Noel."

Noel, a blonde haired waiter with bright blue eyes, placed two plates of food on the table in front of both Carla and Peter, One was a plate of swirly pasta covered in tomato sauce and cheese and the other was a plate of Steak and chips. The well done steak was garnished with what looked like leaves of basil and the chips came in a round silver bowl and as Peter looked down at it, Carla smiled and said,

"I chose that for you… I hope you don't mind… you still love a good steak right?" She watched Peter who looked up at her almost in awe because she had remembered that a steak and chips is one of his favourite meals.

"Course." Peter eventually said, nodding as Carla looked thrilled. She picked up her own fork in silence and began on her pasta as Peter then said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Carla replied, putting some pasta into her mouth and smiling again at Peter, unable to work out how sitting here in her restaurant with him could feel so normal. They both had an extremely pleasurable conversation whilst eating dinner, one that was full of laughter and joy.

After spending so many hours together Carla and Peter were so much more than comfortable with each other and it was clear to everyone watching them that they were two people who cared about each other… a lot. After both ordering banoffee pies for pudding and wolfing those down too, Peter foolishly decided to go and give the Hen Party back their feather boa... of course he ended up being dragged back into the chair he'd sat down on before.

"Carla… help me out ere..." Peter cried as she got up from their table with their empty drink glasses in her hands.

"Oh please, you love the attention…" Carla laughed as she walked towards the kitchen door. What she still didn't realise was that the only attention Peter wanted was hers and whilst he was reluctantly occupied, she got on with the usual things she did during her nights at work. Not having her watch on her wrist really did make a difference and Carla found that the night practically flew by without even her even realising it.

The significance of today still lingered in the back of Carla's mind of course but she was able to get past that thought when she looked over at Peter... especially when he smiled at her.

* * *

The Hen party finally released Peter from their gasp at half past eleven but that was only because the restaurant had begun closing and they were the only people left in there other than the staff. As two waiters began to clear the table and get rid of all the empty glasses and plates, Carla approached it and smiled as she said,

"I really hate to chuck you out ladies but I'm afraid that's time..." Peter got up off the chair as did the other women and once again he was comically wearing a feather boa around his neck.

"That really suits you y'know." She said, smirking at Peter who went and stood next to her.

"Yeah who'd ave thought bright pink was my colour eh?" Peter replied making Carla giggle.

"Have you had a good night?" Carla asked as the Bride excitedly approached her.

"Yes it's been fantastic." The Bride grinned widely and unexpectedly hugged Carla, when she let go she then said, "Honestly it's all been perfect Carla. Thanks so much." Peter smiled as Carla nodded humbly at the compliment she had received but then the redheaded woman raised a finger and said,

"Actually I ave one small complaint…" Carla turned to this woman and Peter frowned slightly because he couldn't possibly see how on earth this woman could be complaining, after all she seemed to have been the one who ate and drunk the most.

"Oh really? What is it?" Carla asked but then the red head grinned at Peter and said,

"That we didn't get this one's kit off in the end…" She actually went as far as to poke Peter in the stomach who was too relieved that Carla wasn't receiving complaints after all that he just stood and took it.

"Ohhhh…" Carla laughed as Peter shook his head modestly. "Well what can I say? If Peter say's that he's retired then he's retired n I don't think there's any changing his mind."

"Oh I dunno…" Peter said, pulling the feather boa from his neck and then wrapping it around Carla's instead, He was smirking wickedly at her as then said, "I could be convinced to take my clothes off… just for you that is." Carla rolled her eyes but she was unable to not smile foolishly at Peter all of the Hen party women began another chorus of wolf whistles and laughter.

"Sounds like you're in for a good night then Carla…" The Bride said, nudging Carla excitedly. Carla just nodded but kept quiet because she knew that any thing that she did say would only encourage Peter even more.

By the time all the drunken woman had left the restaurant it was almost quarter to twelve and as the last one walked out, Carla yawned as she shook her head and said,

"For a moment there I thought they'd never leave."

"Tell me about it." Ian said, with an arm full of menus. Carla looked over at Peter who was wondering around as if he wanted to help out a little.

"Sit down Peter, we won't be long." Carla said tucking in chairs as she spoke.

"No…" Ian said, shaking his head and walking over to Carla, "Me and Noel can finish up ere n lock up, you and Peter can go if you want." Noel was behind the bar and nodded when Carla turned to look at him.

"Are you sure?" She asked, her neck still adorned with shocking pink feathers.

"Of course..." Ian nodded, taking the menus he had in hand over to a sliver stand by the entrance and saying, "Besides it's almost all done now anyway."

"If you insist… Thanks for tonight boys." Carla nodded appreciatively, she looked at Peter and said, "I'm gonna go n get my things from the office."

"Alright." Peter nodded, he was still wearing his black jacket as Carla disappeared through a door that led to her office. Once she was gone, Ian smirked over at Peter and asked,

"So… Peter… how long ave you known Miss Connor then?"

"Erm…" Peter began, not really knowing whether to be directly truthful or not. He'd guessed this meant Carla hadn't mentioned him to anyone and eventually settled with, "Ages… years n years actually… although it's also been a good year n a half since we saw each other last."

"Oh okay…" Ian nodded, "Well I bet you're glad to see her."

"Yeah I sure am." Peter replied nodding enthusiastically.

"We're so glad to have Miss Connor ere, she's really turned the place around…" Ian said as he walked back over to Peter, he leaned against the table Peter was stood at and smiled as he said, "I mean don't get me wrong we like our old bosses but Carla's great isn't she?"

"Amazing." Peter nodded truthfully, "You lot are so lucky to have her ere."

"Oh we know… We all really like her… she's strict as anything but also a right laugh too..." Ian said to Peter and took another quick look at the door Carla had gone through to check that she wasn't on her way back before then saying, "Are you the ex husband?"

"Errr... yes." Peter replied back, once again unsure what to say. He couldn't actually tell if Ian was talking about Nick or not and nodded awkwardly.

"You're not the one who broke up with her on the day of the wedding though right?" Noel said from the bar, lowering his voice just so Carla couldn't hear but sounding slightly threatening all the same. "Cause if you were..." Noel said with an eyebrow raised.

"Definitely not." Peter said, furrowing his eyes together and shaking his head at the idea of being mistaken for Nick. "That guy is a complete and utter prat."

"Good." Noel said, smiling at Peter now he knew that he wasn't Nick.

"So you're the other one then…" Ian said, nodding slowly and smiling in a way, which made Peter suspiciously say,

"The other one?" Ian laughed at Peter as Noel started wiping the bar down with a damp clothe. "Carla told you about me then?"

"Well…" Noel began, glancing at the door once again to check Carla wasn't already on her way back. "Not exactly…"

"Not exactly." Peter replied slowly.

"Yeah… basically when Miss Connor took over the place she suggested that as a way to break the ice we all have a lock in so she could get to know us all… long story short and a lot of bottles of wine later she told us she'd been married... a lot." Peter nodded and waited for Noel to continue but then Ian did instead.

"She said that two of her ex husbands were dead and that out of the two that were still alive, one left her on the day of their wedding and the other…" Ian stopped talking because he wasn't sure he should continue and looked at Noel who raised an eyebrow and who was brave enough to say,

"Miss Connor said the other husband was the love of her life."

"Oh… I see." Peter said, his heart beginning to pound as he tried really hard to not actually jump with joy. He was mighty glad to be referred to as the love of Carla's life rather than the husband who cheated on her and as he stood in silence, Ian grinned at Peter and said,

"You can't tell her we told you that of course… I'm not even sure she remembers saying it…"

"I won't." Peter laughed, nodding at Noel and Ian in an amused way.

"I'll say one thing more though…" Noel said from the bar, "I don't think we've ever seen Miss Connor smile like she has done tonight."

"That is true." Ian agreed, "It's really good to see her smile like that..."

Peter only had a moment to grin stupidly because sure enough, Carla appeared with her coat on and her handbag in her hand, she sensed that the three men in the room had just been talking about her and looked between them as she self-consciously asked,

"Should my ears be burning?"

"Absolutely." Peter nodded, walking towards Carla and saying to Ian and Noel. "It was nice to meet you both."

"You too." Noel said.

"Will we be seeing you tomorrow Peter?" Ian asked, grinning at Carla and raising both eyebrows up and down comically. Peter didn't know what to say to this question and looked at Carla who shrugged and said,

"That depends..." She looked at Peter and then asked, "What were you lot saying about me?"

"Nothing." Peter grinned.

"Yeah nothing." Ian repeated as Noel nodded and also said,

"Nothing." Carla squinted at them both and shook her head as Peter began walking towards the door of the restaurant,

"Once again, it was really nice to meet you both." He said smiling at Ian and Noel, he then looked at Carla and said, "Are we going then or what?"


	9. The Sofa

For the entire journey home, Carla asked and asked... and asked Peter what he was talking to Noel and Ian about.

Peter… being Peter made lots of jokes and just wouldn't answer Carla properly.

He messed about and told her that he was sworn to secrecy or that she wasn't to worry but as Carla parked her car outside her white house at almost midnight, she grinned and as she and Peter got out of the car she very smugly said to him,

"Alright then… if ya don't want to tell me what you lot were talking about back there… then I'm afraid ya can't come in…"

"Oh come on…" Peter chuckled, shutting Carla's door and following her up her driveway, towards her front door.

"I'm serious Barlow." Carla nodded firmly, trying to show Peter that she meant business although she was still grinning slightly. "So… are ya gonna tell me or what?"

Peter laughed again at Carla as she stood in front of her doorway with an intrigued and somewhat bossy look on her face.

"And don't even think about making stuff up cause we might not be together anymore but I'll still know if you're lying." Carla said poking Peter with one hand and putting the other one on her hip.

Peter chose to ignore how dreadful it felt to be reminded that he and Carla were no longer an item and decided that he absolutely wanted to go into her house.

He wasn't sure exactly what might happen once he and Carla actually got inside of course… The opportunities were endless really... All he knew was that he definitely didn't want tonight to end... not yet at least.

"Alright…" Peter nodded because Carla was still looking at him with an eyebrow raised and as if she wasn't going to give in. "We _were_ talking about you earlier."

"Oh really…" Carla nodded sarcastically, she folded her arms now and waited patiently for a response even though she was dying to know what Peter, Ian and Noel had to say about her.

"Yes…" Peter nodded again, "But it was only because we were only discussing how amazing you are..."

"Really?" Carla asked, looking at Peter straight in the eye and suddenly not feeling so smug any more.

In fact the way Peter was looking at her right now made her heart race faster than it had done all day.

"Yes really." He nodded slowly, "Ian and Noel were honestly saying how much they… and everyone else for that matter really like you n I was saying they were lucky to ave you… that was it."

Carla didn't say anything this time, She just continued to watch Peter for a moment. She had thought that her new employees seemed to like her but hearing it for herself actually made Carla feel a little proud of herself. She then smiled modestly at Peter before turning to open her front door.

"You better come in then…" She said quietly as she began to walk inside her house. Peter followed her inside and as he closed the door behind him, he took a very deep breath.

He was still counting every blessing he had as he followed Carla into her living room, she sat down onto her sofa and started taking off her heeled boots and as she did so, she smiled at Peter and said,

"I hope you had a good time tonight."

"I did…" Peter nodded, sitting down on the sofa but not directly next to Carla, he left a little space between them even though he was as desperate as ever to get closer to her. "I really did… I hope you had a good night too." Carla nodded at Peter, practically beaming at first as she put her boots to the side of the sofa but very quickly the smile started to fade off her face. "Ere…" He said, going into his pocket and pulling out Carla's watch and handing it towards her. "In case I forget."

"Thanks." She said quietly, she went to take her watch from Peter's hand but their fingers lightly brushed against each other and it made both of them tremble slightly. "Thanks for everything tonight Peter." Carla said quickly to ease the tension that had risen just from a simple touch.

"You are more then welcome." Peter said as Carla stared down at her watch which read that is was almost ten past midnight.

"I'm so glad today's over." Carla said, leaning forwards and put her watch on her coffee table before yawning, "Well… for another three hundred and sixty four days that is..."

Carla knew that even though it wasn't the nineteenth of September anymore, she'd still be cursed with the memory of what happened to her five years ago but she really was glad to see the back of today even though it had held some truly delightful moments.

"I'm gonna get a drink… d'ya want one?" She asked, getting back up off the sofa again.

"Erm… I dunno." Peter said, shrugging, Carla raised an eyebrow at him and walked towards her kitchen where Bailey was snoozing in his basket quietly. "I'll just ave what you're aving yeah?" Peter eventually said, still unsure about what the rest of the night might have in store for him and Carla.

"Okay!" She called from the kitchen, Peter heard her put the kettle on and soon enough, Carla returned from the kitchen with two cups of tea and a packet of custard cream biscuits.

She put both mugs down onto the table along with the biscuits and then she sat back down on the sofa. She didn't leave even half as much space as Peter had done when he had sat down so the sides of their legs were now touching and this secretly pleased Peter because it seemed like Carla was just as eager to get close to him as he was of her.

"Thanks." He said, nodding towards the tea Carla had made, she didn't say anything to him but he could tell by the look on her face that she was deep in thought but after a few moments of silence, Carla did speak.

"I… I don't fancy going to sleep yet…" She softly said, feeling foolish but all the while knowing that Peter would completely understand why she didn't want to go to bed.

"Well that's the beauty of being an adult, you get to choose ya bed time n go to bed whenever you want." Peter replied, making Carla smile at him.

She leant forward and picked up her mug of tea whilst Peter went ahead and tore open the packet of biscuits and even though they spent a few moments in silence, the atmosphere felt completely natural.

Carla leant backwards on the sofa with her cup of tea in hand, she watched Peter for a while longer before she let out a little laugh and said,

"You can take your jacket off y'know." Peter looked down and realised that Carla was right, he was still wearing his jacket.

"Anyone would think you were trying to get me to stick around for a bit." He grinned before biting into a biscuit, "How do ya know I avent got somewhere to be eh?" He joked.

"Well the door's that way if ya do…" Carla smirked, pointing towards her hallway with her free hand, She then looked into her hot cup of tea and said, "I hope not though… I don't want you to leave…" Peter looked at Carla affectionately but she was still staring into her cup sheepishly and then quickly she said, "Besides you might as well stay… I mean it's not as if you're gonna start driving all the way back to Portsmouth now are ya? It's the middle of the night."

"Carla." Peter interrupted, leaning forwards slightly so she'd look back at him. "I'm not going anywhere love n... I don't want to either." Carla let her eyes leave her mug and face Peter again as she alluringly responded with,

"Good."

Peter pulled off his black jacket and hung it on the side of the sofa whilst Carla took a sip of tea, there was another moment of pure silence between the pair before Carla leant forwards and picked up the remote control for her telly.

"Shall we watch a movie?" She asked as she pointed her remote at the screen.

"Yeah why not." Peter said, nodding as he picked up his own cup of tea. He watched as Carla began scrolling through a list of movie channels on her television and when she casually said,

"What do ya fancy then?" He had to bite his tongue so he didn't reply with _her_ as the answer.

Even though it had been years… and even though he'd been with another woman since, Peter had always known that he wasn't over Carla but somehow, just sitting next to her in her living room, watching her do such normal things only made him realise just how much he was still in love with her.

"Something funny." Peter eventually replied, deciding that Carla would probably need some laughs tonight. She nodded at him in agreement and said,

"Yeah… good idea."

Carla and Peter ended up settling on the second Inbetweeners movie, which had just started on one of the channels and whilst it had some rather disgusting moments in it, the movie definitely served it's purpose and had Carla and Peter both laughing out loud many many times.

After the movie had finished, Carla got up to take the empty biscuit packet and tea cups to the kitchen, she yawned as she did so and it was then that Peter took a look at a fancy black and white clock which was hung up on the wall opposite him.

"Wait, is that really the time?" He asked, staring because it was now two o'clock in the morning and he could hardly believe it.

"Well we did get back ere at midnight Peter." Carla said from the kitchen, she had begun washing up the cups when Peter walked into her kitchen silently and smiled at Bailey who looked extremely comfortable in his brown basket, which was in the corner.

"Still…" Peter said, leaning on the counter next to Carla at the sink. "It feels like that movie just flew by." Carla went to say something but yawned instead and of course, her yawn was contagious so Peter yawned right after her.

"Oh you copy cat." She teased, giving Peter a nudge with her elbow as she finished washing up their mugs. Once she was done she turned to Peter and wondered what should happen next.

"So…" They both said simultaneously.

Carla shook her head amused as Peter chuckled quietly and eventually said,

"You first."

"No, You." Carla said before yawning again.

"I was gonna say… what happens now?" Peter said awkwardly, he put his hands in his pockets mainly because he had nowhere else appropriate to put them and watched Carla who looked down at her feet and then tucked some of her hair behind one of her ears. "I mean… as much as I could stay up all night with you… I reckon you could probably do with getting some sleep."

"Yeah…" Carla sighed nodding before she looked back at Peter. "I could do with some sleep… although I don't reckon I'll get it though…"

"I know it's hard but Carla you've got to try and remember that you're safe now." Peter said, "Remember that today was a celebration of how far you've come."

Carla nodded at Peter because she knew he really was trying to help with his words, She folded her arms stiffly because there was something that she really wanted from this situation and she had to swallow hard before she had gathered up the courage to ask,

"Will… you... stay?" She was watching Peter with so much hope that he could hardly bare to keep her waiting too long for a response.

"Of course." He casually replied, although his heart was practically doing somersaults from being asked to stay.

As if he would say no.

Carla's face went from looking hopeful to looking delighted and she unfolded her arms before saying,

"Thanks."

There was then another not so comfortable silence as the thought of where exactly Peter would be sleeping suddenly crossed both of their minds.

Carla's throat went dry and her heart began to pound at the thought of inviting Peter upstairs with her and whilst she knew it wouldn't be a good idea to do so, she let her mind wonder for a few seconds before she heard Peter say,

"I'll get myself cosy n the sofa okay?" Carla hid her disappointment and went to say sorry but Peter was already ahead of her and shook his head, "It's fine… honestly… I wouldn't ave it any other way."

"Really?" Carla replied with a hint of sarcasm and as she spoke one of her immaculate eyebrows rose perfectly.

"Well…" Peter began, unable to stop himself from smirking suggestively at Carla who slowly sauntered past him towards her living room. "Let's just say for tonight at least... I plan on being a gentlemen."

"Is that right?" Carla replied, turning around to see that Peter had followed her into her dimly lit living room. "I didn't actually know you were capable of being a gentlemen."

"Oi." Peter said although he knew Carla was joking.

"I'm kidding… Although the comment about you taking all your clothes off for me earlier wasn't exactly gentlemanly was it?" Carla teased, with her hands on her hips.

"Eh n who was it who started that whole conversation may I ask?" Peter replied with half a chuckle.

"I were just being a good hostess and trying to please my customers…" said Carla.

"Yes well you did a good job of that…" Peter said, still amused as Carla looked down at the sofa guilty. "Honestly Carla… the sofa is going to be fine."

"You sure?" Carla said, looking serious for a moment but then grinning wickedly at Peter before saying, "I wouldn't want it to mess up your back or out… I mean you are getting on a bit."

"Oh charmin." Peter nodded with a wide smile because he had missed how much Carla used to tease him about his age. She looked at him smugly as he gave the sofa a proper once over and then said, "Seriously though, I promise I'll be absolutely fine, I've never been on a more comfortable sofa." He threw himself down on it comically and nodded up at Carla who stood before him and then shook her head.

"At least let me get you a few pillows off me bed." She said even though there were cushions on the sofa already.

Before Peter could answer her she was off in a flash, upstairs and gathering up two of the six pillows she slept with.

She then went off to one of the cupboards she had her upstairs hallway and pulled out a brand new duvet that hadn't even been used yet.

"Ere we are…" She said, practically chucking the two pillows and duvet at Peter at the same time.

"Cheers." Peter replied pulling the duvet off his head and smiling at an amused Carla who folded her arms again. "I'll be fine... I swear." He said, wondering if the look Carla had on her face now was because she felt bad for him having to sleep on the sofa.

"I know you will…" She said gently and within an instant Peter knew what was wrong.

"Listen I'm only gonna be down ere, so if you need me… for anything… just come n get me… give me a shout…" Peter began but Carla shook her head and started to say,

"No… I'll probably be fine, I'm just being-"

"I mean it." Peter said firmly, standing up and looking at Carla so intensely that she nodded at him. "If for any reason you wake up… if you ave the nightmare again.. I'm ere for you Carla… I'd hate to know I were down ere fast asleep whilst you were upstairs and in need of someone. Okay?"

"Okay." She nodded again and she let her body linger in front of Peter before she gathered up the strength to put both arms around him.

Peter pulled her towards him in the very next second and with one hand in her long hair he said a very quiet but very heartfelt,

"Night Carla."

"Night Peter." She replied and when she pulled away she left Peter with a soft but oh so powerful kiss on his right cheek.

Carla didn't give him a chance to respond. She left the room quickly because she felt rather embarrassed for kissing Peter like that. She quietly ran upstairs and went into her bathroom to start taking off her make up and get into her pyjamas, whilst Peter sat back down on his bed for the night and touched the place on his cheek where Carla had kissed him.

He would never have believed a single soul if they had told him he'd be in this position right now and as he put the pillows Carla gave him on the end of the sofa, he thanked his lucky stars that he had made the decision to visit her today.

It was only when Peter let his head hit the black pillow that Carla had brought down for him that he realised that she had actually given him a pillow from her own bed… the one she sleeps in… alone every night.

He could instantly smell her… vividly so.

The scent he could smell right now was the same one he took in when they had hugged just moments before and Peter breathed in so he could smell Carla's warm and wonderfully familiar trace once again.

It was at that point Peter knew that tonight he'd either get loads of sleep… or hardly any at all.

Carla switched off her bathroom light and walked into her bedroom with as many positive thoughts in her head as possible before getting into bed.

She got under her covers with the feeling of Peter's embrace on her mind and soon her thoughts turned to how it felt to have his beard brush against her cheek for those couple of seconds that she had kissed him in.

Carla hoped that if she continued to think all about Peter that she'd have a peaceful nights sleep or an okay one at best but unfortunately, that didn't happen

Peter was awoken at three forty am by the feeling of someone gently shaking him.

His first reaction was to just ignore it because he was still half asleep and he hadn't exactly thought about where he was right now but when his arm was shaken again and he felt her hands tighten their grip, Peter's eyes suddenly opened.

Carla was stood above him and as Peter had left the living room lights dimmed, he could see that the woman stood before him had tears in her eyes.

He sat up immediately as she sniffed hard and wiped her eyes as she managed to get out.

"Peter…"


	10. Company

"Carla… What happened?" Peter asked, getting up off his make shift bed, his first thought was to put both arms around Carla and hold her tight but given the reason that she was probably awake right now, he thought twice about it. "Did you ave the nightmare?"

Carla nodded with tears in her light green eyes and when Peter took a closer look he saw that she had beads of sweat on her forehead. Her long hair still hung over her shoulders but it was tousled and it looked as if she had been doing some tossing and turning whilst in bed.

"I'm sorry…" She spluttered, "I'm sorry… I jus-"

"Don't." Peter interrupted, shaking his head and inching towards Carla slightly, trying to make sure that he didn't make any sudden movements because it was clear that right now Carla was distressed. "Don't apologise love, I told you to come n get me if you needed me."

"I tried not to but..." Carla began, wiping her eyes and taking a deep breath as she stood before Peter.

"It's okay Carla." Peter said softly, knowing that she was finding this really difficult.

Hours and hours ago, Carla had felt like she wasn't ready to cry in front of Peter but now the tears were falling fast and free and she really couldn't care less.

"I tried so hard… everything was fine at first, I was just aving a normal dream n… he… he came..." Carla stopped talking for a moment and took another deep breath as Peter shook his head again and said,

"You don't ave to talk about it Carla. You really don't… Not if you don't want to."

Peter didn't have to hear about the nightmare because he knew all too well what and who it was about.

He'd been there countless times in the past when Carla had woken up terrified and in a state of tears and he knew exactly how much this type of dream could affect her.

As Carla stood in front of him trembling and shivering, Peter quickly jumped into action because he really wanted to try and calm her down, he remembered how in the past she had even had a few panic attacks after this nightmare and he was worried that leaving her stood in front of him for too much long would result in another one.

"Come on…" He said quietly, holding out his hand for her to take but only if she wanted to of course. Carla looked down at his hand in confusion for a moment but she still reached out and took hold of Peter's hand, which in comparison to her's was extremely steady. "Let's go into the kitchen n ave a drink of water."

Peter started walking slowly and took Carla into the kitchen with him, she clung onto his hand tightly as he asked,

"Remember what I said to you before you went to bed?" Carla nodded but she didn't answer Peter who stopped at her sink, He gently let go of her shaky hand and took a glass from her kitchen counter to fill up with some water from the tap and as he handed it to Carla he quietly said, "You're safe."

Right now, Carla didn't look like or feel like she was safe at all. She was still shaking as she rose the glass of water to her lips but after a few sips of it and after watching Peter breath in and out calmly, she was starting to feel slightly better.

"There ya go…" Peter nodded, he smiled reassuringly at Carla as she put the glass down on the kitchen counter next to her. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment before looking right back at Peter and saying,

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it." Peter shrugged with a smile still on his face. Carla took another deep breath and shook her head slowly as she walked over to one of her kitchen stools.

She climbed on it silently and shivered again which made Peter gaze around the kitchen for something to give her to wear and stop her from feeling so cold.

Although she was clearly shaken by her nightmare, Carla was wearing an oversized grey T-Shirt which stopped mid thigh and nothing else which meant that she had bare legs and goose-bumps up which ran up and down both of those legs and arms.

After scanning the room for a moment, Peter eventually found a hoodie that Carla would wear whilst going for a jog or to the gym, it was hung over the back of a chair and as he handed it to Carla he said,

"Ere put this on."

For the first time since waking up, Carla smiled at Peter and as she put her arms into the hoodie, she said,

"Thank you." Peter nodded and sat on the stool opposite as Carla pulled the zip on the hoodie up and stuffed both hands into the pockets.

She didn't speak for a while at first and Peter didn't either. He wanted to give Carla as much time as she needed so he just sat on the stool in front whilst she sipped a bit more water and until she softly said,

"I'm sorry for waking you up Peter."

"Eh, I've already told you, stop saying sorry." Peter frowned, shaking his head at Carla who put her hands back into the pockets of the hooded jumper she was wearing.

"I know… but I feel bad, You looked so peaceful before I shocked you awake." Carla said apologetically.

"Honestly Carla, It's fine. I told you I wanted you to wake me up n I'm extremely glad you did." Peter replied, then he winked at Carla as he said, "Besides, I see it as an honour to be woken up by someone as gorgeous as you."

"Really?" Carla asked, raising an eyebrow and ignoring how touched she was that Peter had just called her gorgeous, "Even in the state I'm in right now?"

She couldn't see herself of course because there were no mirrors in the kitchen but Carla was sure that she probably had red eyes, pale skin and she could feel that her hair was a complete and utter mess right now.

"Oh please…" Peter scoffed, "Even after a horrible nightmare you still look incredible." Carla looked sheepish this time and looked down at her bare legs as she once again found her self saying,

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Peter said earnestly. Carla looked back up at him with a modest smile and for a moment she looked as if she'd forgotten all about the reason why she was awake right now but then the smile faded and she sighed in a way, which told Peter she was thinking about her nightmare all over again.

"I should really be used to this y'know?" Peter shook his head at Carla in a slightly irritated way as he then said,

"I've already told you that no one should ave to get used to feeling this way."

"I know you ave… but still, you'd think by now I'd ave some sort of coping mechanisms for it." Carla said with another sigh. "It has been five years after all... although I ave to admit… this year is better than the last couple of years." She gave Peter a small and appreciative smile, which showed him that she meant this year was better because he was there but he still couldn't help but ask her,

"What happened last year then?" He knew full well that this time last year Carla was in a relationship with Nick but that was all he knew and he couldn't help but be curious as to how Nick had dealt with the situation.

"Well… if I'm honest… I just... dealt with it on me own." Carla replied, knowing this would send Peter's mind into over drive to know that she hadn't leant on anyone during such a horrible time.

"Seriously? What about Nick? or even Michelle..." Peter began but Carla shook her head slowly and looked down at her legs again.

"I didn't tell them... Chelle doesn't really know about the nightmares... When I think about it properly... the only person who knows about em is you." Carla explained.

"So... why didn't you tell Nick?" Peter asked, more curious than ever.

"Me n Nick were really happy this time last year…" Carla paused for a moment and looked back up at Peter to see what his expression was, he remained straight faced even though hearing about Nick Tilsley really made him want to wince as if he was in pain. "I don't like to talk about Frank at the best of times n I dunno I felt like talking about him with Nick would sort of ruin things a little bit... I thought it would just remind him what a nightmare I am to be around."

"You are not a nightmare." Peter said adamantly. Carla shrugged a little at Peter because she knew that he was just being kind and sighed as she continued and said,

"It's probably a good thing I didn't tell him because if I'm being honest… he were rather useless when I found out that Johnny Connor was me real Dad."

"Well if I'm being honest I think Nick's rather useless, period." Peter smirked and as petty as his comment was, Carla couldn't help but smirk back at him and she took a moment before she carried on speaking and said,

"He would ave been supportive… Well I know he would ave tried anyway… But I dunno… As I said to you at the café earlier, the more I think about us, I kind of feel like Me n Nick were doomed from the start… He never really understood me… I thought he did but… He didn't… not really… the way he treated me at our wedding…" Carla paused again and swallowed back the tears that were headed if she didn't try to stop them. "I know I'm no saint n all… but still I'll never get over that feeling…"

"It makes me so angry…" Peter began, actually clenching his fists a little and shaking his head, "But… who am I to be angry after the way I've treated you in the past?" Peter then looked down at his own legs this time, feeling so full of regret for the things he'd done to Carla when they were together.

Carla looked down too, also thinking about the way she and Peter turned out.

There was a long and slightly uncomfortable silence between the pair and Peter wondered if he'd well and truly screwed up the rest of their time together by mentioning his cheating ways but then Carla spoke and what she said made him look up at her admirably.

"You never would ave done what Nick did though… use all my flaws… the things I really dislike about myself… as reasons to not be with me." Carla said ashamedly, shaking her head at Peter who was watching her intently.

"I can't think of a single reason why anyone wouldn't wanna be with you Carla…" Peter replied, his voice slightly breaking as he said the word you and Carla's name.

There was another silence but this time it wasn't uncomfortable, this time Carla was gazing back at Peter in a way that made him want to get up and eliminate the space between them.

He especially wanted to close the irritating gap that was between their lips but at the same time, he knew it would be highly appropriate to do so. For many reasons but the main one being that he wasn't too sure how Carla would handle any physical contact right about now... even if it was a loving kiss.

She still had both hands in the pockets of her hoodie and had both legs crossed as she sat before Peter.

"So…" Peter said, clearing his throat and trying to get some sort of conversation going between him and Carla again. "What happened then? This time last year?"

"Oh." Carla said, her heart still racing at what Peter had said to her before the silence had begun, "Erm, I was at me flat alone, Nick had this business conference thing that night anyway so it weren't like I had to make something up… So I went to bed like normal n then came the nightmare… I woke in tears but I just had to get on with it really… I can normally calm me self down, takes a while mind but I usually get there in the end."

"I'm sorry you were alone." Peter said, hating the idea of Carla being all by herself at a time when she desperately needed someone nearby.

"It's not your fault Peter, I could of told him, I could ave called Chelle over for support but… You know me, gotta be strong… deal with things on me own." Carla said, she then smiled at Peter gently and said, "Although I ave to say, I could get used to this…" She pointed between her and Peter twice before she then added, "Having you ere every year could really help me out..." Carla grinned to show Peter that she was joking but when he didn't smile back, she quickly said, "I were just jokin Peter."

"No…" Peter said, shaking his head, "I would love to be here for you... Honestly..." He smiled at Carla slightly taken aback and then said, "I guess I just didn't expect any of this to happen when I first thought about visiting you."

"Well what did you think would happen?" Carla asked, smiling at Peter with an eyebrow raised.

"Honestly?"

"Yeah course." Carla replied, intrigued.

"Well I honestly thought you'd be really mad to see me, I mean after what I did I wouldn't have blamed you… I don't really deserve a single second of your time so as I said I just wanted to check on you. I just knew if I hadn't of come ere I would ave been sat at home right now with you on my mind so… yeah... ere I am." Peter said feeling slightly foolish and still oh so regretful.

Carla nodded at him silently for a moment and then she uncrossed her legs and took her hands out of her pocket to rest on on her knees as she started to speak,

"Peter… what you did… to us…" She bit her lip and swallowed as Peter once again looked genuinely remorseful. Carla knew that hearing her talking about his cheating would be painful for him but she carried on because she really had to make something clear, "Sometimes... it's still so… raw… n I'm sure that it's still that way for you n all…" Carla paused but as Peter went to speak, she quickly shook her head and continued, "But _it is_ in the past, We can't go back in time n change our past… no matter how much we really want to… So I think the best thing to do is to just try n think about the here n now… I know you're sorry... I really truly do..." Peter's eyes were glassy as Carla gave him a bittersweet smile and said, "Okay?"

It took Peter a couple of moments but eventually, after the initial pain and shock of what Carla had just said had taken it's time to sink in, Peter was able to say,

"Okay." He nodded at Carla who smiled again and then yawned which of course, made Peter yawn in the next second.

They both laughed to themselves simultaneously and then Carla's eyes swivelled over to her kitchen clock.

"Wow…" She said, reading that it was just gone four am in the morning. "I hadn't realised how late it was."

"Or early." Peter grinned, he looked at Carla's tired eyes and then asked, "So… what d'ya wanna do now? Do you wanna watch some more TV? Or we can just stay ere chatting…"

"I... really want to sleep." Carla said, half laughing and half sighing, She looked at Peter closely and then added, "And I bet you do n all."

"I want to do what ever you want to do." Peter replied as Carla got up off the stool she had been sat on for the past fifteen minutes or so.

"Well…" She began, folding her arms and looking from side to side. "As much as I really want to just head upstair n fall straight asleep I'm not sure I'm gonna be able to that easy… However I do like the idea of continuing our little chat…"

"Okay…" Peter nodded, not exactly sure where Carla was going with this because she had got up off her stool. "Do you wanna chat in the living room then?"

Carla had thought about this option for a second but she knew that she would have to climb back into her bed again at some point and she couldn't help but think with Peter by her side, it might be slightly less scary to do so which made her shake her head at him and quietly say,

"Upstairs maybe."

"Upstairs…" Peter repeated.

"Yeah." Carla nodded, feeling slightly embarrassed for suggesting it now and slightly naïve for thinking it wouldn't be scary to head upstairs with Peter.

However… it would be scary in a good way… an exciting way rather than a bad one.

"I mean… if we're actually laying down in a bed it might actually be easier to fall asleep." Carla said, knowing that Peter was finding her explanation of why she wanted him with her upstairs, highly amusing by the smirk on his face.

"Yeah yeah…" He teased, nodding at Carla with a smirk and an eyebrow raised, "Any excuse to get me into your bed."

Carla didn't think this comment needed much of an answer. Instead she just rolled her eyes and took hold of Peter's hand. She pulled him right off the stool and all the way down her hallway and up her stairs in silence.

As they walked into her bedroom, Both Peter and Carla would have been lying if they said that their hearts weren't rapidly racing.

Carla pulled off the hoodie she'd put on and chucked it on a black velvet armchair that she had in one corner of her room whilst Peter lingered awkwardly in front of her bed.

He almost wanted to pinch himself because he almost couldn't believe that any of this was real.

"Get in then." Carla said, looking amused as she climbed into one side of her bed and under the covers.

Before getting into bed earlier on, Carla had made sure the lights in her bedroom were dimmed just enough for them her to see everything properly but dark enough so she could fall asleep.

Peter was trying to act casual and not as if the act of getting into Carla's bed had him feeling extremely nervous, so he nodded at her and walked around the side of it.

She watched him as he sat down and got beneath the covers. Carla was nervous too even though she and Peter had shared a bed countless times and as he laid down next to her, she let out a sharp breath and said,

"Y'know, if this time yesterday anyone would ave told me you'd be in my bed tonight… I would ave laughed right in their faces."

"You n me both…" Peter replied, staring up at the ceiling for a moment before turning to face Carla who was already lying on her side. She had her head rested on a arm which she'd tucked underneath a pillow and at first she was smiling but then her smile faded and she quietly said,

"Joking aside though… I'm really grateful for this Peter… all of it… I know it probably doesn't seem like it but you being in ere… it settles me… I don't feel as alone as I did last night."

"Good." Peter replied, smiling at Carla who gave him an applicative nod and yawned again.

After a few lingering looks towards each other, they both turned their gaze back towards the celling. They lied next to each other in silence for a few moments, just listening to the sounds of each other's breathing and also they both secretly took this opportunity to think about how much they had missed each others presence at night time.

Peter thought about his bed back in Portsmouth and Carla thought about all the nights she had spent alone here in Devon and whilst they continued being silent they both knew that they were fighting as equally as hard to keep themselves from touching.

"What on earth would our families say eh?" Carla said first, breaking the silence and turning to Peter instead of looking at the ceiling.

"What do you mean?" He asked, turning to Carla who was smiling at him, amused.

"If they knew that we were in bed together right now." She said, "I can just imagine how much Chelle would ave to say about this."

"Yeah… I can imagine Me Dad aving a lot to say too… He sounded so shocked when he heard I was down here." Peter replied, wondering if his Dad had told Simon and deciding that he was going to text his son in the morning to say thank you for being the one to give him Carla's address.

"I don't think _my Dad_ would be too happy about this..." Carla said and then she shook her head and laughed, "It sounds so weird saying that."

"I bet." Peter said admiringly, knowing that Carla's relationship with the man who she'd always known as her Dad was slightly estranged and that it must have taken her a long while to get used to having one around again. "I take it he knows all about me then."

"He sure does." Carla nodded, "One day me n old Johnny got together n talked all about you Peter Barlow."

"Seriously?" Peter asked, slightly worried about this now because he had hoped returning to Weatherfield would be easy and he really didn't want to have this Johnny Connor to add to the list of people that must truly hate him.

"Yes." Carla nodded, looking one hundred per-cent serious for a moment but then cracking up upon seeing Peter's expression. "I'm kidding Peter, god when did you get so gullible Barlow." Carla reached underneath the covers to find Peter and when she did, she started tickling him in the stomach and laughing.

"Oi…" He cried, chuckling and batting Carla away even though he was thrilled to have her touch.

"We did talk about you though…" Carla said truthfully, "He asked me what happened between us one night n I told him… He had a lot to say but I reckon he was just trying to do the whole protective Father thing."

"Well I'll make sure I stay well clear of him when I go back to Weatherfield shall I?" Peter said raising an eyebrow.

"No don't." Carla said, shaking her head. "Tell him I said Hi." Peter smiled at her and nodded as she then said, "Tell him that you came down ere n that you took care of me… That might make him soften towards you."

"Hmmm…" Peter said as if he was contemplating such a conversation but then he grinned again, "I'm not sure that me telling your Dad I came down ere n _took_ care of you is going to go down well if I'm honest."

"Maybe not." Carla said, realising how suggestive that sounded and then laughing out loud in a way that was music to Peter's ears. When she stopped laughing she sighed and said, "I wonder what Nick would think about this?"

"Now there's a different story, I'd be more than happy to tell him all about this, In fact telling Nick that I spent the night ere in your bed would really make my year." Peter said, nodding.

"He probably wouldn't care… after all, He is shacked up with Leanne now…" Carla shrugged, she sighed heavily and then rolled her eyes as she said, "Imagine."

"It's ridiculous." Peter said rolling his own eyes, "I mean how many times are those two gonna break up n then get back together again?"

"They'll probably be engaged again in a few months." Carla said. Peter watched her because he was sure that he heard a hint of sadness in Carla's voice but then she laughed and said, "What on earth was I thinking eh? As I said earlier, Nick n Leanne… they are welcome to each other."

"It'll just go pear shaped again." Peter said, "It's Nick n Leanne… it always does."

"Awh I hope not… I do want Nick to be happy." Carla replied to which Peter scoffed and said,

"I don't."

"Yes you do." Carla laughed, "You're not that mean, Peter."

"Alright… I don't wish the bloke much harm… I spose." Peter said sighing, "But he better seriously stay out of my way when I go back to Weatherfield…" He grinned at Carla before he then asked, "You sure you don't want me to tell him that you said Hi?"

"Oh I ave a lot of things you could say to him…" Carla said nodding.

"Uh oh…" Peter laughed, "Do I need to write all this down?" Carla laughed back at Peter and shook her head at him as she then said,

"Just saying Hi to me Dad would do… n your lot of course, although you can leave Tracy out of that actually."

"Okay will do." Peter nodded, Carla yawned again and as Peter caught the contagious yawn, she then smiled at him and said,

"I am gonna call Chelle tomorrow though… She'll ave a field day when she hears about this."

"Yep, She's probably gonna say what a bad idea it was to ave me ere in your bed n that you should ave told me which way to go when you first saw me in Devon." Peter nodded, knowing exactly how Carla's best friend felt about him.

"Maybe... but she can't really say too much can she? I mean nothings really happened…" Carla began, although she would definitely not class what was happening between her and Peter to be just nothing. "If anything you're just keeping me company."

"Yes… I like that… keeping you company." Peter said, he then added, "Like that Justin Bieber song."

He regretted it the very moment the words _Justin Bieber song_ hadcame out of his mouth and when Carla's eyes went wide, Peter knew he was in for it.

"Justin Bieber?" She cried, almost laughing as Peter nodded trying to act cool.

"Yeah…" He said, "I can be quite Top Forty when I wanna be..."

"Oh Peter…" Carla replied, shaking her head in a disappointed fashion although she was still looking extremely amused. "I thought better of ya."

"It's a good song…" Peter said in his own defence, "Not to mention it's bloody catchy."

"I can't believe you like Justin Bieber…" Carla teased, poking Peter in the stomach.

"Woah I never said I like him…" Peter began, smiling because Carla was practically cackling away at him.

"Hey… isn't he going on tour in a few weeks?" Carla smirked, "You should get tickets."

"Yeah yeah, alright." Peter nodded graciously but then Carla poked him again. He playfully grabbed hold of her hand and held it tightly as she continued laughing at him for a good ten to fifteen seconds.

"Oh…" She said once her laughter had died down a bit, "Well If you hadn't managed to cheer me up before…"

"Glad to be of service…" Peter nodded again, "Especially if I get you laughing like that… Although now that I think about it… I think that song is actually about casual sex so maybe it's not such a good way to describe us eh?"

"Oh I dunno..." Carla began, her first reaction was to try and make some sort of suggestive comment or facial expression to Peter but as she imagined him singing along to Justin Bieber in his car, she ended up in fits of laughter again.

"Y'know what, if I'm going to keep getting teased like this, maybe I'll just go back downstairs." Peter joked, acting as if he might get up and out of Carla's bed and sitting up.

"No don't…" Carla suddenly said, sitting up right, taking hold of Peter's T-shirt and practically yanking him towards her. "I need you ere." She said now that Peter was literally a few inches away from her. "I were just messin..." Carla went to place an apologetic and innocent kiss on one of Peter's cheeks but where he had gone to lay back again down she caught him... square on the lips.

Without even comprehending what was happening, Peter tenderly kissed Carla back.

He couldn't have stopped himself from doing so even if he had wanted to and for just a few magical and breath-taking seconds they both stayed in that very position.

Carla with a tight grip on Peter's black T-Shirt, both of their lips still pressed up against each other's in a way that they hadn't been in a very long time.

Too long in fact.

"I'm sorry…" A slightly embrassed Carla said the moment they both pulled away from each other in a state of awe. "I errr… I was trying to get your cheek."

"Yeah… sure you were." Peter teased, almost in a whisper. Carla giggled quietly and looked down at the grasp she had on him before she let go.

There were really only two options that Carla and Peter had right now.

One would be to try and ignore their impromptu kiss and carry on like normal and the other option?

Well the other option was one that very quickly and naughtily crossed both their minds but they both knew that given the circumstances of their current situation it probably wouldn't be a good idea so Carla moved away from Peter slightly and he nodded at her to show her he agreed that doing anything else wouldn't be wise.

"Maybe we should… try n get some sleep?" Carla suggested, still slightly taken by the wonderful feeling of Peter's lips on hers.

"You sure?" He asked but not because he wanted them to carry on with their unexpected embrace, although he could practically still feel the warmth of Carla's kiss as he spoke. He was asking because he knew that she was probably still shaken by her dream and wasn't quite sure if Carla was ready to try and go back to sleep.

Carla nodded at him with a small yet sheepish smile on her face as she lay back down again onto her pillow and said,

"I'm sure…" Peter went to lay back down again next to her as she then added, "Gotta try again at some point n besides… you're gonna be right next to me right?" Peter nodded at Carla sincerely and then, he felt her hand reach out and gently take hold of his. He made sure held her hand back supportively as he could really fell that she was still tense and he nodded once more as he said,

"Absolutely… I'm not going anywhere... I promise."


	11. Phone Calls

Peter Barlow awoke at around nine forty five on a very bright Tuesday morning.

At first he groaned when he realised that he was properly awake and he went to turn over and bury his head underneath his pillow so that he could get some more sleep but as he moved he felt just how soft the bed sheets he was currently laying in were and he quickly realised that he definitely wasn't in lying in his lonely and very boring bed back in Portsmouth.

He instantly opened his eyes because he suddenly remembered exactly where he had spent the night… and where he had spent last night was at Carla's house... In Carla's bed.

He had kept his promise and stayed right by her side for the entire night.

Neither one of them were exactly sure which one had fallen asleep first but somehow they had both fallen asleep with ease… and also... hand in hand.

Peter turned to the side after waking up and smiled, expecting to see Carla lying next to him but he soon realised that she wasn't there anymore.

He sat up and rubbed his eyes and as he did so he wondered if maybe she had made a quick exit because she was slightly embarrassed about their impromptu kiss last night. She had only meant to reach Peter's cheek but still, he couldn't help but wonder if she had got up and out of bed so early because she didn't want to face him.

There was the sound of faint music coming from downstairs as Peter climbed out of Carla's bed and he knew what song was playing from the moment he heard it.

He grinned widely from ear to ear and followed the all too familiar song all the way down the stairs and into the kitchen where Carla was sat on a stool at her kitchen counter with Justin Bieber's _Company_ song playing in the background.

Carla's dog Bailey was stood at his bowl slurping up some water but as soon as he saw Peter he spun around and ran towards him with his tail wagging excitedly, he then barked loudly, which made Carla look up from the newspaper she was reading and smile.

She was already dressed and was wearing a pair of black leggings, a black sports vest, white trainers and a black hoodie. She had been busy reading the paper when she heard Bailey bark and saw that Peter had entered the room.

"Mornin." She beamed, looking over at Peter rather than down at the newspaper that had just been delivered that morning.

"Interesting song choice." Peter said, getting up from giving Bailey a soft stroke, he looked sheepish as Carla smiled at him in a tickled fashion. She then nodded as Peter walked towards the counter and said,

"I'm not gonna lie, Ive had it on repeat for the past ten minutes hoping you'd come down when it was on."

"Nice." Peter nodded, amused as he pulled a stool out and sat on it, Bailey returned to his water bowl as Carla smiled again, she closed the newspaper that was on her counter and then asked Peter,

"Do ya want a brew?"

"That would be great." He nodded as Carla got up off the stool she was sat on and walked over to her kettle to fill it up with water.

There was something in the air as she switched her kettle on and then as she turned back to face Peter was sat only a few feet away from her, she found herself smiling like an idiot again.

Neither one of them could explain exactly what it was but the atmosphere between Carla and Peter was tense... Tense in a positive way though… in a way that made them both grin at each other until the kettle boiled.

Carla turned around quickly and began making a cup of tea as Peter reached over and decided to read the paper so that he didn't keep smiling foolishly at Carla… not that she minded of course, she was more than happy to have him looking at her in such a pleasant way and as she brought a black and white polka dot mug over to Peter, he asked,

"Are you not having one?"

"Nah… I'm going to go for a run in a bit…" Carla replied, looking down at her running attire and grinning.

"I was gonna ask what's with the sports gear… I was wondering if you got your self a new style whilst down ere as well as a new house." Peter joked, taking the mug of Carla and smiling at her appreciatively. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She nodded, walking towards her fridge. She opened it and pulled out a bottle of water as Peter took a sip of tea.

Neither one of them wanted to be the one to mention their little but oh so powerful kiss last night but it was definitely on both of their minds as they interacted with each other in Carla's kitchen.

"So…" He asked as Carla returned to the kitchen counter. "How did you sleep in the end?"

"Alright." She replied, sitting down on the stool next to Peter and reaching over for her phone, which she had connected to a speaker that was playing music. She changed the song from a Justin Bieber one to a James Bay one as Peter began to speak again.

"Just alright?" He asked. He had slept extremely well and hadn't woken up once but judging by Carla's slightly lack lustre response it didn't look as if she'd slept as well as he had done.

"Yeah… alright." She nodded, but she smiled again and said, "Alright is good... I didn't ave the nightmare again if that's what you're worried about I just… woke up a couple of times… I was fine though…" Carla's smile grew larger and affectionate as she then said, "Cause you were there."

"Glad to be of service." Peter nodded, giving Carla a wink as he picked up his mug of tea and took another sip. "What time did you wake up?" He then casually asked, hoping and praying that Carla's absence from the bed wasn't because she had wanted to get away from being so close to him.

"About nine-ish." Carla said watching Peter and knowing exactly what he was thinking by the slightly anxious look on his face. "I couldn't get back to sleep n then I heard Bailey barking so loud he probably woke up the neighbours… didn't you hear it?"

"No." Peter said almost laughing because Carla was watching him with a raised eyebrow.

"Seriously…" Carla said as Peter nodded, "Anyway, I soon realised that his bowl was empty so he had nothing to eat n drink this morning… that's the only reason I got up and out of bed…" Carla then looked down and smiled to herself as she said, "I promise... I wasn't running away from you or out."

Peter looked slightly relieved as Carla looked up at him again and casually began opening her bottle of water to take a sip,

"I can't believe you didn't hear Bailey barking though… for a puppy he can be almost deafening at times… You must have been in a right deep sleep." Carla said after taking a sip of water.

"It's that bed of yours… I don't think I've slept somewhere so comfortable in me whole life." Peter said, nodding because he genuinely meant what he was saying.

"Wow… That's really saying something then…" Carla smirked as she put her water back down on the counter, "You ave been in a lot of beds after all." She then laughed out loud at Peter's slightly offended expression because he looked rather comical.

"Alright… I spose I deserve that one." He nodded as Carla gave him a sympathetic look and said,

"I shouldn't tease you… after all you've done for me over the past…" Carla looked down at her watch, "Twenty hours or so… I should be thanking you... I really appreciate you staying over last night Peter."

"Honestly Carla, don't mention it." Peter said, nodding modestly. "I wouldn't wanna be anywhere else right now."

"You sure?" Carla asked, pulling a face at him, "I mean as much as I've come to love it here, the weather could do with improving couldn't it?"

"I'm sure." Peter nodded again. "I really am, I love it here… and honestly… I love spending time with you too." Carla smiled at Peter for about the twentieth time that morning and then asked,

"So… do you fancy coming for a jog down the beach after your cup or tea then?" She picked up her bottle of water again as she then said, "I mean seeing as you love it so much you can come running with me n Bailey can't you?"

"Yeah… I dunno about that." Peter said and it was his turn to pull a face this time because he wasn't exactly known for love of exercise and Carla knew it, she grinned as he then said, "Besides, I don't actually have me running shoes with me so if I did go I'd end up doing some serious damage to me feet."

"Mmmhmm…" Carla nodded sarcastically, "Sure, I get it... Well, I hope you don't think me rude but I'm not avin you mess up me fitness routine so I'm still gonna go for a quick run."

"Good…" Peter chuckled as she got up off her stool and stretched her arms in the air above her. "N I swear, if I had a decent pair of trainers with me I would so be running along that beach with you…" Peter continued, as Carla walked over to Bailey and picked up his lead, which she'd left on her kitchen table yesterday.

"Yeah yeah." Carla nodded, "I know excuses when I hear em Barlow." She bent down and attached Bailey's lead to his collar as she said, "You can stay ere then n keep your self busy…" Carla stood up as she smirked at Peter again and said, "You can ave a shower… if you want."

"Hang on..." Peter exclaimed, with wide eyes. "Are you tryin to tell me somethin?" Peter comically gave his T-Shirt a sniff which made Carla laugh and say,

"Not at all… I'm just saying, you can ave a wash if you wanted to thats all." She walked slowly towards Peter who suddenly stood up of his stool for no real or apparent reason.

Carla looked amused as she slowly reached past him and took her phone off the kitchen counter, they almost touched as she stood upright again and knowing that she was having a slight reaction on Peter, she smirked at him and quietly said,

"I'll be back soon… Call me if you wanna know where anything is."

"I will." Peter replied softly. Carla gave him a playful nudge with her elbow before walking away from him slowly and as she tugged on Bailey's lead a little to get him to follow her, she smiled and said,

"Say Goodbye Bailey." Peter waved at them both and let out a little chuckle as he said,

"Bye Bailey… ave fun."

"We will… n feel free to snoop about… I won't judge ya..." Carla called behind her, walking down her hallway and then opening her front door.

As she closed it behind her, Peter took a deep breath and smiled to himself with vast relief because it looked as if Carla didn't regret their kiss last night after all.

He had been worried that they had maybe crossed the line last night but since it seemed that Carla wasn't worried, Peter took another breath and decided he wasn't going to be concerned about it anymore. He then went ahead and took Carla's advice and decided he'd take a shower and get changed.

It was an peculiar yet wonderful feeling for Peter to be walking around Carla's home all by himself, he was honoured that she trusted him in her home on his own and even though he knew that she was being honest with him when she told him to snoop about, he didn't do so.

Instead he walked straight up to her bathroom and after marvelling at its beauty one more time, he took his shower.

As he showered he wondered how long Carla might take whilst on this jog, he really hoped that she wouldn't be gone for too long because he wanted to talk to her and see how she was doing.

Yes they had spoken this morning but Peter still wanted to ask Carla how she was feeling now that the anniversary of her attack was over.

Peter had eventually gotten dressed in the clothes that he'd arrived in Devon with yesterday seeing as they were obviously clean and dry by now and as he walked down Carla's stairs he took another look at the many pictures on her wall.

Peter especially paid close attention to the photo that he had taken of Carla and Michelle on his and her wedding day. As he stared at the beautiful photograph, He felt that undeniable pang of utter regret he always felt whenever he thought about his wedding day to Carla.

The smile on her face as she clung onto Michelle tightly made him almost well up and so he continued walking down the stairs before he got too upset and started crying for real.

He walked into Carla's living room and for a moment he thought about watching some television but then, he suddenly realised that he hadn't had a cigarette since yesterday afternoon. He'd been so caught up in spending time with Carla and supporting her through yesterday that he hadn't had a single craving… until now of course.

Just thinking about smoking was enough to make Peter go into his coat pocket and pull out a box of cigarettes and a lighter.

Of course he wasn't rude enough to light up in Carla's house, which smelt of a mixture of her expensive YSL perfume and some sort of vanilla smell, so Peter let himself into her back garden from a large glass door which was in her kitchen.

Carla's back garden was quite simple, yet somehow it still managed to take Peter's breath away. He guessed it was because he'd never dreamed that Carla would live in such a picturesque place.

He looked at the very neat grass, which looked as if it had been meticulously mowed and then his eyes travelled over to a large wooden canapé, which underneath had a black table and two very stylish and very comfortable looking black armchairs to match.

This shelter which Peter was currently walking towards, really wouldn't have looked out of place in a hotel somewhere but as he walked he was mighty glad that Carla did live somewhere like this… because ultimately, Peter knew that she deserved it.

He was glad that she seemed to be happy and that she had really made a home for herself here in Devon and as he sat down on one of her black arm chairs, which had white cushions on it, he wondered just how many times Carla had sat out here just like he had done.

It was a beautiful day out, the kind of day Peter loved. Sunny but not too hot, the kind of day when you just needed a little jacket to stay comfortable.

He lit a cigarette and had just started to take a drag when his phone started to ring. Peter went into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out his phone to see that his son Simon was calling him.

"Ello…" He said quickly, answering it in such haste because he wasn't expecting a call from Simon at half past ten in the morning.

"Hi Dad… just calling for a chat." Simon said.

"A chat?" Peter repeated as he blew smoke from his lips.

"Yeah why not? Is this not a good time or something?" Simon said, sounding slightly worried.

"No it's an absolutely fine time for me… I'm just wondering why you're not at school young man." Peter said, speaking in a fatherly tone.

"Ohhh, I'm off sick." Simon said his voice sounding croaky as he explained that he'd been up half the night with a cough and sore throat and also explaining that his Mum said that he could stay off today.

"Ahhh I'm sorry to hear that Si, I hope you get better soon." Peter said, feeling bad for not being there for his son when he was will… still soon he would be there for him.

"Me too… Although I don't mind being off school of course." Simon said, sounding a little brighter in that instance. "Anyway Dad how are you?"

"Me? Yeah… can't complain… I was actually gonna call you later..." Peter began, putting his cigarette back into his mouth as Simon said,

"Hang on… I've just realised, Why are you not working right now?"

"Well that was what I was gonna call you about actually…" Peter said, smiling as he blew smoke from his lips once again. "I've taken a few days off…"

"Oh yeah…" Came Simon's reply through Peter's phone. "To do what?"

"Well…" Peter said, "That address you gave a couple of months back…"

"Carla's address…" Simon said, sounding brighter again.

"Yes." Peter nodded even though Simon couldn't actually see him. "Let's just say I've finally used it."

"No way…" Simon said sounding shocked he then coughed and said, "So you're in Devon right now?"

"I am." Peter nodded again, unable to refrain from smiling foolishly to himself. "I'm actually at Carla's house right now… I take it your Granddad didn't tell you."

"No he didn't." Simon said sniffing hard, "When did you get there?"

"Yesterday…" Peter said, knowing this would make Simon even more animated.

"Yesterday huh?" Simon said, sounding like he was very amused on the other side of the phone.

"Yes yesterday and no, it's not like that, I'm ere as a mate... nothing happened." Peter replied smoothly, knowing that his teenage son's mind must be running wild by now.

" _Nothing happened_ , yeah right Dad. I'm not a kid y'know." Simon replied, coughing again but still sounding as if he didn't believe his Dad for one moment.

"I'm serious Simon, nothing happened…" Peter repeated although he soon realised that he was lying because something had happened.

Something pretty beautiful had happened between him and Carla since he had arrived in Devon but of course, he wasn't going to sit here and give Simon a minute-by-minute account... not right now anyway.

"So what made you go to Devon then Dad?" Simon asked hoarsely.

"Yesterday... well it was the anniversary of something really… horrible that happened to Carla a few years back… something she'll never… ever forget. So I just came to Devon to check that she was okay... that's it." Peter explained, finishing his cigarette and carefully putting it out on the ground.

"And is she? Is she okay?" Simon asked, not teasing his Dad anymore and sounding a little worried now after hearing part of the real reason his Dad had gone to Devon.

"Yeah… I think so, I really do." Peter said nodding again, looking up at the blue skies and around Carla's pristine garden. "There were some downright upsetting moments yesterday but honestly Carla's doing really well ere, she's got a good business, some new friends… I think she's genuinely happy here Si... She's out for a jog right now with her dog… Yes you heard right, Carla's got a dog, can you believe that?"

"Yeah... I knew Carla had a dog, he's dead cute, She sent me a picture of him last month." Simon said, he then paused for a moment as if he was thinking things over. He then coughed and cleared his throat before saying, "Nah I still don't believe nothing has happened between you two." Peter chuckled at the sound of his Son's sceptical tone and as Simon laughed too, Peter then said,

"Simon… men n women can be friends you know."

"Yeah yeah I know…" Simon said still sounding amused, "So where d'ya sleep last night then Dad?" It was Peter's turn to pause this time and he paused for too long because sure enough, Simon started to laugh again.

"Alright I slept in Carla's bed… but I did start out on the sofa, I promise." Peter began, rolling his eyes at how bad he was at trying to convince Simon that last night was spent between him and Carla platonically.

"Dad you are fooling no one with this _nothing happened_ malarkey." Simon said, making his Dad laugh once again at his tone of voice. "I mean you're honestly sitting there n telling me that you n Carla spent the night together n you didn't even kiss?"

"Well…" Peter began.

"I knew it." Simon said triumphantly.

"But that was it Simon, a kiss n anyways it was more of an accident if anything else." Peter said with a grin as he thought about the kiss last night.

"An accident?" Simon repeated, "Yeah right."

"You know what kid, If you carry on taking the mick out of your old Dad I might ave to get you to put your Mum on n tell her to send you to school." Peter joked, earning another laugh from his Son.

"I'm just messing..." Simon said, "But seriously... you sound happy Dad." Simon sincerely added.

"I am happy." Peter replied, nodding and smiling again. "And I wanted to call n say thanks to you for giving me Carla's address because without you I wouldn't be here right now."

"You're welcome." Simon said, coughing once more and then saying, "I just thought you'd need it one day."

"Well you thought right didn't ya?" Peter said, leaning back on the black chair he was sat on in the garden. Simon began coughing loudly again and he sounded so ill that Peter then said, "Now I don't mean to rush you off the phone but I really think you get some rest, son."

"I am getting rest…" Simon said, his voice croakier than ever now.

"Give your voice a rest I mean." Peter said, laughing silently. "I'll call you later okay, see how you're doing."

"Alright Dad, I'm gonna try to get some sleep in a bit…" Simon said, "I've got doctors later, Mum made an appointment."

"Good…" Peter said, nodding and sighing in a way he always did when he was about to hang up on his son. "I miss you Si."

"I miss you too Dad, loads… when are we going to see each other again?" Simon asked.

"Soon… really soon. I promise… I'm hoping I can come n visit you in the next month or so…" Peter said, knowing that he really would be seeing Simon soon given his plans to move back to Manchester soon.

"Good… I can't wait… maybe you can bring Carla back with ya eh?" Simon joked and Peter could swear that it sounded as if Simon was grinning. "Did you say she's gone out?"

"Yes…" Peter said suspiciously, "Why?"

"No reason… Just tell her I said Hi will ya?" Simon said quickly.

"I will." Peter nodded, "I love you Kid."

"Love you too Dad." Simon said and after he and Peter said goodbye to each other, they both hung up their phones.

As Peter put his phone down on the table, he felt extremely pleased that Simon had called him and that they had spoken this morning.

He hoped that Simon had got back into bed properly and put his phone down but he had a feeling that his son was currently doing otherwise and he was right.

Instead of laying in bed and trying to get some sleep, Simon was typing away on his phone. He was smirking as typed out a message and he didn't put his phone down until he'd pressed send.

The message he'd written had reached the recipient's phone within seconds and she had just finished her run when she received it.

Carla had headphones plugged into her phone, listening to music as she pulled it out of her pocket, she had began walking along the beach with Bailey running ahead of her and she smiled from ear to ear when she saw that she had a message from Simon on her phone.

Carla knew in that instant that he must have spoken to his Dad this morning as she clicked on the message and read it whilst she walked slowly across the sand after her workout.

 ** _"Hey Carla… just spoke to me Dad n he says that he's in Devon! Hope you don't mind me giving him your address, I just thought you two might need each other again one day. He also said that yesterday was a really sad day for you but he didn't say why._ _I just wanted to let you know that for whatever reason you were feeling down yesterday I hope you're doing much better today._ _Love Simon x"_**

"Awww…" Carla gushed as she read the message on her screen. She went to start typing out her own message when her phone started to ring and Michelle's name appeared on screen. "Hello." Carla said as she answered it by pressing a button on her headphones. She was pleasantly surprised to see her best friend calling her at this very moment in time.

"Hi Carla…" Said Michelle sounding pained, "I am so sorry I didn't call you yesterday..."

"Oh…" Carla breathed knowing that Michelle hadn't forgotten what day yesterday was after all. "It's... okay."

"No… it's not okay, I'm your best friend Carla I should ave been there for you." Michelle said sighing into the phone. "I'm so sorry."

"Chelle honestly, it's alright… you've got enough on your plate with Steve n the baby." Carla said as she walked down the beach with a bottle of water tucked underneath an arm and Baileys lead in her free hand.

"Carla don't make excuses for me, I feel so awful." Michelle said, "I feel terrible thinking that you went through yesterday alone."

"Actually… I wasn't alone…" Carla said, unable to not smile as she thought about what had happened yesterday and she never thought she'd be smiling whilst thinking about the nineteenth of September... ever.

"No?" Michelle replied sounding confused.

"Don't sound like that..." Carla said almost laughing. "I ave got friends down ere y'know... I'm not a complete billy no mates."

"I know... I didn't mean it like that..." Michelle said, "So does this mean you spent yesterday with people who didn't really know what it was… unless you've told your new friends of course..."

"No I aven't told any of them..." Carla said walking closer to the shore and smiling at Bailey who had met up with another dog in the distance. "I spent yesterday with someone else… that's all... an old friend."

"Who?" Michelle asked, clearly racking her brains and trying to think of someone who Carla could have spent yesterday with.

"Peter..." Carla replied slightly nervously and she was sure that she almost heard Michelle's jaw drop open all the way from Weatherfield.

"Seriously." Michelle asked quietly.

"Yes seriously." Carla said, still unable to believe it herself.

"Well how did that happen?" Michelle asked.

"He came ere… to see me… to check if I were okay. He knew what yesterday was... course he did... n he just turned up ere." Carla explained and she began telling Michelle all about her day and night with Peter.

As she spoke and explained all about her and Peter's fun on the beach and also how she'd taken him to the restaurant Carla couldn't quite shake off how good it felt to speak to Michelle about all of this.

Normally she'd just hear stories about how life in Weatherfield was going and she'd tell Michelle bits and bobs about her life, but their conversations always seemed to be about how Carla was adjusting to life in Devon and not about how she was actually living life in Devon.

"So yeah… I've left him at my place whilst I go for a run… how weird is that?" Carla said, as Bailey ran towards her and stopped at her feet. Carla was sure her best friend was ready to start sounding off about how silly it was for Carla to have let Peter stay over and she waited patiently for her friend to speak her mind. "So… go on then… say something Chelle… What do you think about everything I've said?"

"Honestly…" Michelle began which made Carla swallow and prepare herself for a bit of a bashing. "I think... it's lovely."

"Lovely?" Carla exclaimed, bending down and reattaching Bailey's lead to his collar. "Really? I were expecting you to have a lot more to say than lovely… I mean it's Peter we're talking about n you're hardly known for praising the bloke are ya?"

"You can say that again." Michelle said dryly but then her tone of voice changed and she said, "Look I may not be the world's biggest Peter Barlow fan but if after everything he's driven all the way to Devon just to support you, look after you and if he's really made you feel safe… then I honestly aven't got a bad word to say about him."

"Wow…" Carla said, giving Bailey a stroke before standing up right again. "Wait till I tell Peter what you just said… he'll ave a field day."

"Yeah I bet he will, we all know how much that man loves people talking about him." Michelle said, Carla chuckled lightly as she began walking towards a hill, which led up to a road path as Michelle curiously asked, "And you're sure that you just kissed right?"

"Yes I'm sure." Carla said truthfully, "As unrealistic as it sounds me n Peter just shared a quick and very accidental snog before going to sleep… that's it."

"Mmmm alright, I believe you... even though thousands wouldn't." Michelle joked on the other side of Carla's phone. "So… what's happening next then? With you n Peter I mean? Is he staying another night? Is he going home?"

"I errr… ave no idea." Carla said, "We aven't talked about it really."

" _We_ eh?" Came Michelle's reply.

" _He_ hasn't talked about it." Carla sighed, smiling as she and Bailey began walking up the hill, which led them towards town.

"Okay... well what do you want him to do?" Michelle asked her best friend curiously.

"I dunno…" Carla said, sounding a little nervous and she and Bailey started to make their way towards home. She knew full well what she wanted Peter to do but she wasn't about ti admit that to anyone... even her best friend. "I mean… I've loved having him ere… we've had a lot of fun together."

"Yeah I bet." Michelle teased.

"Shut up Chelle." Carla groaned, "I mean I'm not gonna lie… I would like a bit more time with Peter… but he's got plans… things he's in the middle of doing…"

"Yeah but I bet he'd drop them plans for you in a heartbeat." Michelle said but Carla shook her head and said,

"Not if those plans involve being with Simon… not that I'd ave it any other way of course… Oh speaking of Si, he sent me the cutest text before you called."

"Ahhh did he? What did it say?" Michelle asked curiously.

"Just that Peter had told him that yesterday was difficult for me and that he hoped that I were okay." Carla said as she crossed a road and made her way towards her home, "I should text him back really…"

"Alright Alright…" Michelle laughed, "I can take a hint, I'll let you go shall I?"

"No I'm not saying that…" Carla laughed back, shaking her head happily, "I think I can manage to text him back n talk to you as well." Carla began typing out a reply to Simon's text whilst talking to Michelle and holding onto Bailey's lead, which was a bit of a job but in the end she had managed it and sent Simon a message, which said,

 ** _"Hi Si… thanks for your text it were dead sweet._**

 ** _Yesterday was difficult but your pretty amazing Dad helped me through it & I am doing so much better. Hope you're okay too, I miss you lots, Maybe I'll give you a call later? Love Carla xx_**

 ** _P.S I don't mind that you gave your Dad my address… I'm actually really grateful x_**

Carla stayed on the phone to Michelle for the rest of her journey home, they chatted some more as she walked down the quiet streets towards her house, mainly about Peter and as Carla walked up her drive, she took a deep breath and said,

"Right, well I've just got home Chelle, so I'll give you a text in a little while n let you know what's gone on yeah?"

"Make sure you." Michelle said sternly but also excitedly. "I'm going to be on tenterhooks waiting to hear what you n Peter ave been up to all day... n all alone."

"Mmmmhmmm just don't get any dirty ideas in that head of yours…" Carla grinned as she pulled her keys out of her pocket. "I know just what you're like Michelle McDonald." Carla heard Michelle laugh down the phone and as she put her key in the door she said, "I'll speak to you later alright?"

"Alright…" Michelle laughed, "I miss you n I love you."

"I miss you too Chelle..." Carla replied as she opened her front door, she let Bailey run straight into her house as Michelle said goodbye and after hanging up the phone, Carla closed the door behind her.

As she walked down the hallway of her house, she couldn't help but wonder what Peter had been doing to keep himself occupied since she had gone and she also wondered if he really had taken a shower like she had suggested earlier on.

"I'm back!" Carla called as she entered her kitchen, she laughed silently to herself as she saw that Bailey had run straight over to Peter who still was sat outside in her garden reading the paper she'd got delivered earlier on.

"Hey…" He smiled, looking up from the paper as Carla made her way into the garden. "How was your run?" Peter asked as Bailey stood wagging his tail at his feet.

"Great." Carla nodded, bending down and taking Bailey's lead off his collar, not at all surprised that her puppy had already become so used to Peter already. "You loved it too didn't ya Bailey." Carla gave Bailey a rub before standing upright. "I got a text from Simon when I was out."

"Now why doesn't that surprise me." Peter said, nodding and smiling as Carla sat down on the black chair opposite him. "What did he ave to say for himself then?"

"Never you mind." Carla said mysteriously, as Bailey sat down and her and Peter's feet. Peter chuckled at Carla who looked him up and down twice in a way that made him, swallow nervously.

"What?" He asked.

"You had that shower then?" She replied, nodding towards his new outfit slowly.

"Yes I did…" Peter nodded with a smirk, looking Carla up and down like she had done to him. "You look a little disappointed… did you want me to wait for you or..."

"Cheek." She said, kicking Peter playfully underneath the table. "What happened to you being a gentleman eh?" Peter laughed out loud and looked around him before he smiled back at Carla who said, "But as you mention it I am going to go n ave that shower..." Carla got up and pulled her hoodie off and looked up towards the sun which was shining bright and she decided that today was too good of a day to waste sat at home even if it was with Peter. "When I'm done… how about I continue giving you that tour we started yesterday?"

"Absolutely." Peter nodded, smiling at Carla who was stood in front of him, "I'd really like that."

"Alright then…" Carla cheerfully replied, "Well I'll be back down soon okay."

"Okay." Peter said with another nod, then he gave Carla a suggestive smirk that she'd seen many times before and even though he knew that he shouldn't, he couldn't help but call after her and say, "Gimme a shout if you need a hand..."

Carla, who had already started walking away from Peter, just turned around and gave him a shameless nod before saying, "Oh... I will."


	12. Delicate

Apologies for the length between updates, I know I always say it but I really do mean it.

Please enjoy and review this chapter :)

* * *

Carla went and showered as quickly as she possible because she desperately wanted to get back down stairs.

Why? Because she really and truly wanted to spend more time with Peter… not that she would admit that to anyone of course.

Normally she'd arrive home with Bailey to an empty house, Normally Carla would spend quite a lot of time on her own during the day and whilst she had truthfully made her peace with that months ago, she couldn't help but adore that fact that today when she had returned from her jog, someone was there waiting for her… she especially adored that that someone was Peter.

Amongst everything that had happened between them, Carla genuinely felt at complete ease with Peter and at times, it really did feel as if they had never been apart.

The only downside to the situation was that Carla knew her joyful time with Peter was going to be short lived. She knew that he was planning to move back to Weatherfield soon to be with his son and even though the thought of it made Carla want to shed some tears, she also knew that Weatherfield was Peter's home... it was where he belonged.

As for Carla?

She wasn't exactly sure if Devon was where she belonged, all she knew right now is that she was happy there and right now that was enough.

After her shower she practically ran towards her bedroom to do her hair and get dressed, leaving Peter sat in the garden soaking up the glorious September sunshine.

Bailey sat at Peter's feet for a while and every so often Peter would bend down and give the cute puppy a stroke whilst he waited for Carla to come back downstairs.

It truly felt as if she had been gone for hours but eventually Carla reappeared in her luxurious garden, She had straightened her long hair and was wearing a fitted, grey t-shirt style dress as she walked outside with a pair of sunglasses in her hand.

She smiled as she approached Peter in her pretty casual outfit but it took him a few moments to smile back because he was far to busy trying to understand how such a simple outfit had him so transfixed.

Maybe it was because Carla looked so content and carefree in her knee length dress or maybe it was because now she was stood in front of him in a fitted dress, he was suddenly reminded just how good her body was.

Of course, it wasn't just Carla's physical appearance that had Peter in awe, he was also taken in by her incredibly endearing personality.

From the moment he'd run into her at an AA meeting all those years ago, Carla had really fascinated Peter. It was clear to him the moment she lied about why she was there, that she was not the woman he had thought she was and the more Peter learnt about just who Carla Connor was on the inside, the more infatuated he became.

"You alright there?" Carla asked, resting her sunglasses on the top of her brown hair.

"Yes." Peter nodded, grinning as he realised that he was probably staring at Carla in a rather foolish fashion.

"Get a move on then, we ave got places to go n all that." Carla said, nodding her head in the direction of her kitchen doors, she began walking and smiled quietly to herself whilst she had her back to Peter.

Bailey followed them both inside and for a second Carla though that her puppy would be joining them but Bailey then headed towards his basket and as he climbed inside, Carla looked at Peter and said,

"I'm guessing Bailey's staying ere then." She picked up her keys, which she had left on her kitchen counter and then she picked up her leather jacket as Peter nodded and said,

"See ya later Bailey." He sweetly waved in the dog's direction, which made Carla grin and as she pulled her jacket on, she knew she had to try and be careful.

She knew she had to make sure that she didn't get too used to Peter's presence because he'd probably be going sometime very soon and Carla also knew that she was going to be very sad to see him leave.

"You alright?" Peter then asked Carla. He had been watching her closely and had seen the cheerful expression on her face change into a sad one.

"Yeah course." Carla quickly said, putting a smile back on her face as she and Peter began to walk down her house, "I was just thinking about something that's all…"

"Oh yeah?" Peter asked casually as he and Carla left her house, "About what?" Carla didn't answer him at first as she closed her front door. She just walked down her drive mysteriously, which led Peter to smile smugly and then say, "If you don't tell me… I'll just ave to guess."

"Go ahead." Carla laughed, as she and Peter began walking up the road that she lived on.

Peter quickly began guessing all sorts of different things that Carla might have been thinking of and was wrong every single time. He went from serious topics to ridiculous ones and as they turned a corner on another quiet road, he went for one last and very brave guess.

"Were… you thinking about me?"

It was obvious from the moment Peter asked the question that he was right.

Carla's grin had faltered a little and her whole demeanour had shifted slightly as she and Peter walked down a road, which had a slight hill to it.

"I'm right aren't I?" Peter asked, half excited and half concerned because whilst he was thrilled to be occupying Carla's thoughts like she had been doing to his, he had remembered the look on her face earlier and she was definitely thinking about something negative.

"No you are not." Carla replied as plainly as she could even though she knew it was pointless and that Peter was on to her. Instead of talking, at first he just smiled at her in an amused fashion as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his packet of cigarettes.

He put one into his mouth, still smiling at Carla who was feeling incredibly sheepish even though she wasn't showing it and as he lit his cigarette Peter smirked and said,

"What exactly were you thinking about me then?"

"Oh give over Barlow." Carla smoothly replied, pulling her sunglasses of her head and putting them on as the sun had really began to shine strongly over where they were walking. "Honestly… I've already told ya that I wasn't thinking about you."

"Well I don't believe you Connor." Peter replied, even though in a perfect world he'd love to be calling her a Barlow too.

"Well that's because you've got a ridiculously sized ego." Carla expertly responded as Peter exhaled smoke from his mouth. She was glad she was wearing a pair of mirrored sunglasses because then she could sneak Peter as many looks as she wanted without being caught.

Peter however, wasn't so lucky to have his eyes hidden and each time he looked at Carla for longer than a quick glance he was caught.

"Come on Carla, you've got to tell me." Peter said, desperate to find out what had got her expression to change earlier.

"It's nothing Peter… honestly…" Carla began, knowing this wouldn't be a sufficient answer for Peter in the slightest. He frowned a little as he walked beside her and as he exhaled some more cigarette smoke he decided to change his approach and asked,

"Ave I done something?"

"You?" Carla exclaimed, "Like what?" She asked, watching Peter who had genuinely started to look worried that he might have accidentally done something to offend or upset her.

"I dunno… It's just… I saw your face earlier n one minute you looked happy n the next… Maybe I said something?" Peter said looking down at his feet as he and Carla got to the end of the road they were currently on.

"Course not." Carla said, stopping and taking off her sunglasses so she could see Peter completely clearly. "I was…" Carla paused, not sure if she was ready to admit how much she was going to miss Peter when he inevitably left.

Over the past twenty-four hours, Carla had already admitted so much to Peter about her life and her feelings but she wasn't sure she had it in her to tell him that she was worried about what was going to happen when he left.

"It's fine… you don't need to explain…" Peter said, almost poking out his bottom lip and looking so downright miserable that Carla couldn't be sure he was being entirely serious.

She watched Peter suspiciously for a moment to see if he was just messing with her and unfortunately, he wasn't able to keep his supposedly downhearted expression going for much longer.

"Nice try!" Carla cried, giving Peter a shove after she saw the corners of his mouth curl slightly upwards. Peter chuckled out loud as Carla shook her head at him and let out a laugh of her own because she was unable to believe that she'd almost fallen for his little act.

"I'm sorry Carla but not knowing what you were thinking about me is drivin me up the wall." Peter said, taking his cigarette out of his mouth as Carla put her head on one side and said,

"It was nothing bad… I promise…"

"You promise…" Peter said, he and Carla were still stood still as she nodded at him in amusement and said,

"Yes I said so didn't I?" She flicked some of her long hair over her shoulder as if she was flicking away the whole conversation and then said, "Now can we change the subject please?"

"Course we can…" Peter nodded, although he had a mischievous look on his face as he did so and after putting his cigarette back in his mouth, he said, "So… I'm guessing you didn't need my help in the shower then?"

Carla shook her head again at Peter but she unable to keep herself from smirking at his cheeky comment as she began walking again, she raised her sunglasses up to her head and she put them on as Peter began walking too. He knew he had to try and get the fact that he was obviously in Carla's head out of _his_ head.

"Let's get on with this tour shall we?" Carla eventually said, turning and waiting for Peter to catch that little bit up with her, He nodded at Carla with a warm smile and began to listen as she began to tell him about the first place she was taking him on her tour.

* * *

Carla took Peter all around the town that she lived in, they first went to visit a few of the local landmarks, some of which surprised Peter as he had no idea that they were places Carla would be interested in. Some of those places included a historic and very exquisite church and another that was a cliff that showed a stunning view of the town that Carla lived in.

They had a lot of fun on the tour of Carla's new home and Peter throughly enjoyed the opportunity he had got to see places other than Portsmouth as he really didn't get away from there much.

One of the last stops on Carla's tour was rather an odd one and at first, Peter wasn't sure that it was a stop at all.

It was a small pub named The Dolphin which had a set of concrete steps leading up to it and for a while it had seemed like Peter and Carla was just on their way back into town until she stopped walking and stared at the pub ahead of her.

"Are we taking a break?" Peter asked, looking down at his watch and seeing that it was almost two o'clock in the afternoon and that he and Carla had been walking for hours.

"Nope…" Carla said shaking her head, "This is part of my tour." Peter looked at the pretty basic pub ahead of him and nodded slowly as he said,

"Okay…"

Carla, took her sunglasses off and gingerly rested them on her head as Peter then asked her,

"So is this pub important to the history of then town then?"

"Not really… but it's sort of important to me…" Carla said, shrugging her shoulders slightly before starting her story, "Now…" Carla paused and smiled at Peter with a raised eyebrow before she said, "This may surprise you Peter Barlow but when I first got ere… I wasn't a fan... quite frankly I were a bit… of a mess."

"Really?" Peter said sarcastically, playing up with Carla's jokey tone of voice. She nodded at him as she leant against a wall that was behind him and this time she looked more serious as she sighed and said,

"I just couldn't believe how everything turned out with Nick… I were gutted n I had no one ere to lean on so… when faced with adversity... I did what I do best." Carla nodded towards the pub as Peter leant against the wall next to her. He understood immediately and waited patiently for Carla to continue with her story. "I drank myself really stupid for the first few nights I were ere… n one night I ended up in The Dolphin. I really... _really_ went for it… anyways on my way out, I slipped on those steps n I fell, I pretty much landed face down n ended up in the local hospital with concussion n a black eye to go with it."

"Ouch." Peter said, wincing as Carla nodded at him, almost cringing as she said,

"Yeah it were pretty humiliating." Carla said but she looked slightly pleased as she then said, "But I'm mighty glad it happened, loosing control like that, made me see I couldn't go on that way… I could ave got seriously hurt… or worse. Ending up in hospital made me see that I couldn't put myself in danger over the likes of Nick flamin Tilsley."

"Definitely not… He's so not worth it Carla… None of us men are." Peter replied softly, shaking his head at her slowly and watching as a tear ran down her cheek.

Carla sniffed and didn't even try to hide the tear that fell from her face to her leather jacket, she folded her arms as a gentle breeze blew some of her hair off her shoulder and then she shook her own head and said,

"I'm not cryin over Nick…" She looked at Peter and gave him a nod, which told him that she was telling the absolute truth, "I don't even know why I brought you ere… It's on our route back to mine n… well I just… I guess I just wanted you to know that it's not all been walks on the beach and puppies since I've been ere."

"I didn't think it was… I know it must ave been really hard for you starting over on your own… especially since you were supposed to move ere with… Nick." Peter said shaking his head at Carla who remained quiet for a moment as she stared ahead at the pub that was in front of them. "But for the record… I still think that you're doing amazing." Carla just shook her head modestly as she took one last look at the pub before looking at Peter again. "You really are." He insisted, smiling at Carla who tucked some hair behind her ears as he then said, "You ave to believe me Carla, I know I've said it before but most people would crumble in your position but ere you are, stronger than ever."

"I… wouldn't say that exactly..." Carla said quietly, sighing a little as she thought about when she had felt her strongest and as Peter watched her, he couldn't help but know exactly what she was thinking, "But thanks, Peter."

"You're more than welcome." Peter nodded, he then looked over the rather cosy looking pub and smiled at Carla as he then asked, "So… are we going to head in there for a drink then?"

"Errr no." Carla exclaimed, shaking her head adamantly and giving Peter a slight shove so that he'd start walking away from The Dolphin, He chuckled as she forcefully walked behind him with her hands pressed against his back and continued pushing him away, "I aint been back ere since that night I almost cracked me head open… the owner was the one who took me to the hospital, I were mortified when I realised that, there's no way I'm showing me face in there."

"Oh come on…" Peter laughed, all the while still being pushed away from the pub, "The owner's probably more than used to dealing with messy punters by now, they probably won't even remember you."

"Yeah well I remember them n that's enough for me to never step foot in the place again so keep walking Barlow." Carla said, giving Peter another playful push once they were a good enough distance from The Dolphin. She and Peter began walking companionably away from the little pub and for a while they walked side by side in a friendly silence.

"I've got a pub y'know." Peter said, as he and Carla were now well on the route back towards her home.

"A pub?" Carla asked, watching him as they walked next to each other, their arms were almost touching now as they walked up a narrow pavement and it was all that both Peter _and_ Carla could do not to let their hands entwine every time they gently brushed against each other.

"Yeah… a pub like yours, somewhere where I realised that I was better and stronger than the self destructive path that I was starting to go on." Peter explained, Carla watched him, intrigued to hear more so she didn't speak. "When I first moved down to Portsmouth I struggled a lot, I'd just come out of prison… and honestly I wasn't over the fact that you didn't give me another chance." Carla went to say something but Peter very quickly shook his head and said, "You were totally right not to give me another chance by the way, I know that I really do but still... I was gutted Carla… I was in proper feel sorry for meself mode and after a few really rough days I ended up sat in some random pub with a glass of whisky in front of me."

On the inside, Carla actually felt herself begin to panic at the thought of Peter drinking again and even though she knew this story he was telling her was something that had happened ages ago and even though she truly felt as if he had been strong enough to resist the drink, she couldn't help but feel her heart start to race.

On the outside, Carla thought she was doing a good job of staying calm and collected but when Peter turned to look at her he smiled and said,

"Don't worry… I didn't drink it in the end."

"I didn't think you did." Carla replied almost instantly, "It's just scary how easy it is to end up in that place again... That place where you think that alcohol is the only answer."

"It sure is." Peter agreed, nodding as he and Carla turned a corner and were now opposite a large entrance to what looked like a park. "Anyways, long story short, I sat in front of that glass of whisky for about two hours n eventually I just got up n walked away from it."

"Just like that?" Carla asked, impressed and also pleased for Peter at the same time.

"Just like that." He nodded, "Something inside of me pulled me up off that stool and right out of that pub… I must ave got some right weird looks though because I'd been in there for hours n not only did I not drink but I didn't speak to anyone… it's safe to say I aven't been back there since."

"Oh really?" Carla smirked, "But the owner probably won't remember you… they're probably used to broody punters like that." She nudged Peter in a jokey fashion as they crossed the road and he laughed before he nodded and said,

"Yeah yeah… I know but in my defence that pub I was in wasn't me local for a start, it was a right dive n I mean the sticky floor, broken fruit machine n dodgy landlord type of dive… I wouldn't want to be seen dead in there if I'm honest, it wasn't as nice as The Dolphin looked."

"The Dolphin isn't my local." Carla said, shaking her head, "There's loads of pubs closer to home, besides why on earth would I go drinking in a pub when I own a perfectly good bar of me own eh?"

"That's very true." Peter nodded as Carla happily began walking towards the park.

"Come on, we can cut through ere." She called cheerfully which made Peter follow her through the entrance.

It was still a beautiful day in Devon and the sun continued to blaze over Carla and Peter as they strolled past wooden benches, freshly mown grass and extremely tall trees that were beginning to loose their leaves.

They followed a concrete path which had been paved right though the middle of the vast park and there were lots of large areas grass which had been adorned by some newly planted Primroses and Poppies.

Carla and Peter spent their time engrossed in delightful chit chat and were so focused on what the other was saying that they almost crashed into a few people who were also on walks in the park.

"Sorry." They both spluttered and as they continued to walk through the bustling park, They continued catching up on the stuff they had missed since being apart.

They were both in the middle of a conversation about which TV shows they were currently obsessed with, when the soft acoustic sounds of some sort of music were then heard and as they got closer, it soon became clear that there must have been someone nearby singing.

"Where's that coming from?" Peter asked but Carla seemed to know exactly where the soft voice was coming from, she smiled excitedly and yet also mysteriously at Peter as she began walking faster, she led the way and soon enough, she and Peter were headed towards a small crowd of people, also the music was a lot louder now due to the fact that Peter and Carla were pretty much right in front of where it was coming from.

"He's back." Carla said softly, pointing at a tall blonde man, who must have been in his early twenties. He was stood strumming on a guitar and he had just started singing a song called _Delicate_ that was instantly familiar to Peter who said,

"Ahh I love this song." Carla nodded as the man who was surrounded by quite a seizable crowd people, continued to sing and gently play the guitar he had strapped over his shoulder.

"His name is Miles I think..." Carla said quietly, so she didn't interrupt the singing too much for the people who were also stood watching. "He always sings in this park at this time of day but he wasn't ere at all last week… I wonder where he was."

"He's really good." Peter replied, equally as quiet as Carla.

"He really is, he gets huge crowds ere sometimes, especially on the weekends." Carla said, nodding along to the singer who had reached the first chorus of the Damien Rice song.

"And you said Devon was borin." Peter whispered as he leant towards Carla who was standing right next to him, watching Miles sing in awe.

"I said it were good boring." Carla smiled as she felt her cheeks grow hot at the feeling of Peter's warm breath on her skin and when she turned to look at him she saw a cheeky expression on his face, one that she had seen many times before. "What?" She asked, knowing that he was obviously up to something.

"Well… y'know what you said yesterday about how you never swim in the sea?" Peter said, almost with a glint in his brown eyes as he stood before Carla.

"Yeah…" She nodded slowly, not exactly sure what Peter was getting at at first, He smiled even more as he moved just that little bit closer to Carla and said,

"I bet you never dance either." He nodded in the direction of Miles who was still singing the first chorus of the song and then smirked at Carla who raised both eyebrows and said,

"No I don't…" She knew exactly where Peter was going with this by now and she simply couldn't help but add, "Well, not when I'm on me own anyway…"

"You're not on your own are you?" Peter said, almost nervously now because he had been joking at first and now he actually had the opportunity to dance with Carla… even if it was in front of a load of strangers.

There was a moment of silence between them for a moment.

Carla and Peter both stood and listened to Miles as he started on the next verse of the song and it was then that Peter decided he'd have to bite the bullet before one of his favourite songs was about to be over.

"Come on…" He said, reaching out and taking Carla's hand, she didn't resist but laughed as Peter pulled her over to a place where they would have enough room to dance with each other.

"Peter…" Carla said, as he pulled her right up close to him, closer than they had been since last night, even when they had "accidentally" kissed, in fact their bodies were pressed right up against each other with no room in between for the first time in years.

"Yes…" He practically whispered with one hand resting on the back of Carla's spine, whilst she had a hand rested on his shoulders.

"People are watching us…" She replied, not wanting to look back at the eyes she could feel watching her and Peter in their sudden, yet extremely comfortable embrace.

Peter just shrugged at Carla in a casual fashion, not at all bothered that they had some rather amused strangers watching them because if he was being truthful all he could see right now was Carla, so Instead of talking, He just reached out and took hold of her free hand with his and that was it.

They slowly and rhythmically began moving to the music and Carla rapidly forget that they were being watched by a load of people she had never met.

She relaxed as they almost effortlessly swayed together, back and forth and perfectly in time with the soft and mellow music, both with ridiculous smiles on their faces as they did so but as the song began to pick up a little, Peter suddenly let go of Carla's back and spun her sideways which made her laugh out loud and say,

"Someone's been watching a little too much of Strictly aven't they?" Peter laughed too as Carla moved towards him once again and placed a hand around the back of neck instead where it had casually been on his shoulder.

This simple movement from Carla meant that her head was even closer to Peter's and their captivating eye contact didn't cease as their bodies were close once again.

As he sang into a microphone on a stand, Miles the guitarist smiled at the sight of Carla and Peter dancing together. It wasn't often that people would full on dance to his singing and he couldn't help but let out a slight chuckle when he reached the end of his second chorus because once again, Peter had spun Carla around again and as she turned underneath one of his arms, it wasn't just the guitarist that was smiling.

Many passers by and some of the people who were stood nearby watching the singer watched in an amused fashion as Carla and Peter continued to dance rather gracefully given the fact that none of this situation had been rehearsed.

After one more spin, Carla came rushing back towards Peter and when she stopped in front of him, she rested her forehead gently against his.

Miles was singing the last few words of Delicate as Carla and Peter both smiled sheepishly as their dancing came to a natural stop and for one supremely magical moment, they both closed their eyes, even though they might have felt slightly foolish for doing so.

Suddenly, the well deserved but criminal sound of applause made Carla and Peter's eyes open and as they turned to look at Miles he leant towards his microphone and said,

"That's the end of today's set so thank you for listening, I want to give a special shout out to the couple at the back, your dancing has actually made my day."

Even though they weren't a couple, both Carla and Peter couldn't help but grin in an embarrassed fashion as the crowd of people turned to look at them both.

"No, thank you, mate…" Peter grinned towards Miles and then gave a little bow to the members of the crowd who were still watching him and Carla.

"Uh you are such a show off." Carla said, giving Peter a nudge as he began saluting the crowd.

Peter's jokey behaviour plus Carla's only slightly unimpressed reaction, made the audience smile even more at them both and as Miles began to start packing up his equipment, Carla then said, "Honestly, anyone would think you were the one with the microphone."

"I can't help it if they enjoyed our work too." Peter said with a grin as he turned back to face Carla, she shook her head at him slowly and admiringly grinned back as she said,

"You seriously are a pillock."

"Yeah… but where would ya be without me eh?" Peter joked, nodding at Carla who then looked utterly sincere as she shrugged her shoulders and said,

"I honestly ave no idea."

Carla stood and thought about how the past two days might have gone without Peter by her side and whilst she knew that it would have been really hard without him, she couldn't quite picture him not being there with her Devon.

"You alright?" Peter asked, watching Carla who looked like she was deep in thought.

"Yeah…" She nodded but she knew her facial expression had changed once again and this time, she wasn't going to lie. After there joyous dance in front of a whole load of strangers, Carla felt as if she could tell Peter anything so she came straight out with is and said, "I'm… just gonna miss you when you go back to Portsmouth that's all."

"Oh…" Peter said, not expecting Carla to have said that, he stood quietly for a moment, thinking about the fact that leaving Devon hadn't even crossed his mind.

Even though Peter knew he would eventually have to go, he hadn't thought about leaving Carla behind and now that she was endearingly standing in front of him in the blinding sunshine, he wasn't quite sure he'd be able to do it.

"N that was what I was thinking about earlier too, just in case it's still drivin you up the wall." Carla said, watching Peter who was still a little stumped for words.

"Well… not that I've even begun to think about… going but…" Peter began, clearing his throat a little, "I'll miss you too."

"I know you will." Carla preened, before smiling once again and leaving Peter stood on the spot, she only walked just under a foot away from him before she stopped and looked back at Peter who looked as if he was still slightly shocked to hear that Carla was going to miss him. "In your own time." She called after Peter, making him smile at her and ask,

"Where are we headed next then?"


End file.
